Final Fantasy X3: Deep Trap
by Wakaran a i xx
Summary: After Vegnagun was defeated, the three heroines went their separate ways. That is, until they all heard of a strange disturbance that was emitting from beneath Spira's waters...That was the last anybody has ever heard of them...More Inside! Please R
1. The Story Begins

****

Final Fantasy X-3: Deep Trap

__

Complied by Captor Sakura

Written by Captor Sakura and RPers of the RP.

****

Disclaimer: I, and anyone involved, do not own anything pertaining to Spira or the Final Fantasy games, i.e. Characters, cities, Aeons, etc. Which I'd hope would be obvious.

For lack of better name…Story-In-Progress! Complied by a still-going RP that I'm involved in. Thought it would be cool to share in story-form. Takes place post-FFX-2. May contain spoilers from X, X-2. Read on for more story-character details! Please review.

[I realized that my previous chapter had to be deleted for it was a sort of "author's note", I suppose, so I'll be adding it do the beginning of this chapter. I hope that's alright.] 

Story

After Vegnagun was defeated, the three heroines went their separate ways. Each eventually settling down and starting their own families. That is, until they all heard of a strange disturbance that was emitting from beneath Spira's waters…Now they somehow ended up together on a ship bound for said mysterious spot-The Gullwings trio together again-with Tidus this time around. That was the last anybody has ever heard of them…

This is the story of their children and their friends, on a search for the missing heroes of Spira. Is this just a simple search-and-find or something more?

Characters

Lucine

Age: 17

Race: Al Bhed

Birthplace: Bikanel Desert

Weapon: Duel Blades

Summon Card: Quezacotl

Backstory: Lucine is the daughter of Gippal and Rikku. After the defeat of Vegnagun, they moved back to the Bikanel Desert in hopes of re-building Home that had to be destroyed during the time of Sin. After the disappearance of her mother and her friends, Lucine set off towards the Spira mainland to find some information. Looks like how Rikku did during the time of Sin, and carries her duel blades.

Silver Fang

Age: 18

Race: Half-breed Tiger Demon

Birthplace: Zanarkand Ruins

Weapon: Gunblade

Summon Card: Diablos

Backstory: Silver's a 'lone wolf', though does enjoy company from time to time. He likes to travel around Spira and is a Free Agent blitzball player. He always wears black, a mask and a scarf covering his face. For some reason, that scarf is a treasure to him.

Tallulah

Age: 16

Birthplace: Bevelle

Weapon: Staff

Summon Card: Carbuncle

Backstory: Tallulah is a famous songstress that follows High Summoner Yuna's steps. Although summoners are of no use in Spira, she still practices that art of healing and performs the Sending when needed. She usually wears a purple kimono, with a lavender wrap and sarong underneath. She carries a staff like that of which Yuna had. She and Silver have a past together but isn't keen on discussing it.

Serenity

Age: 16

Race: Quarter Al Bhed

Birthplace: Besaid Island

Weapon: Twin Guns

Summon Card: Valefor

Backstory: Serenity is the daughter of Tidus and Yuna. They moved back to Besaid to help out Wakka and Lulu with their child, Vidina. Yuna had always found Besaid to be more of a home then Bevelle ever was, and it was, of course, where the couple first met. After her parents went missing, Serenity went on a journey towards the heart of Spira in hopes of finding some clues. Looks like her mother in appearance during the time of Sin, other than her natural blonde highlights in her already light brown hair. Also has three earrings, but they end with a small and silver 'Zanarkand Abes' symbol. Carries her mother's Twin Bees.

Raphaela Guado [Known by most as Zephyr]

Age: 19

Race: Half Guado, half-human

Birthplace: Guadosalam

Weapon: Alchemist's Gun

Summon Card: Pandemona

Backstory: Raphaela is the illegitimate daughter of an unknown human and a Guado chemist. She appears mostly human, aside from her notoriously ill behaving hair, the silver lines traced on her skin, and her naturally wiry form. For her entire life until age 17, she lived with her mother in Guadosalam. However, shortly after her seventeenth birthday, her mother was killed in a gigantic explosion, presumably caused by a botched chemical experiment. After this tragedy, she left home and became something of a vagabond, forever in search of her mysterious father. Recently she has lost sight of her original goals as a traveler, and has decided to tag along on the quest for Spira's missing heroes.

Kai

Age: 17

Race: Quarter Al Bhed

Birthplace: Besaid Island

Weapon: Sword

Summon Card: Bahamut

Backstory: Kai is the son of Tidus and Yuna. After the defeat of Vegnagun, they moved back to the island of Besaid in hopes of being together and starting a family. After the disappearance of his parents and their friends, Kai set off around Spira in hopes of finding information to help find them. He's also the back up player for the Besaid Aurochs, though he is the best player on the team. Looks like Tidus aside from his black hair and odd-colored eyes like his mother's. Wears his father's necklace and carries his Brotherhood sword.

Lhinx Ronso

Age: 17

Race: Ronso

Birthplace: Mt. Gagazet

Weapon: Lance

Summon Card: Ixion

Backstory: None given

Calix [A Come & Go Character]

Age: 24

Race: Looks to have Al Bhed ancestry

Birthplace: Kilika

Weapon: A sort of magical Swiss army knife

Summon Card: Shiva

Backstory: As a child, he grew up as a fairly ordinary kid in Kilika, if a bit outcast due to his race. He is, in fact, pure Al Bhed, but chooses to hide behind his sunglasses because he finds life quite a lot easier that way, even in this supposedly "new and accepting" world. He developed an interest in animals at an early age, studying the creatures of the forest, and was forced to take up magic as a means with which to defend himself.

Most recently, he finished up an expedition in the now fiend-infested and extremely dangerous Macalania Lake. Calix was drawn to Macalania by his fascination with the goddess Shiva. He emerged from the icy cavern a changed person, somehow, and with that odd stone around his neck. The stone is, in fact, a piece of the dead Fayth. After returning to Kilika for a pleasant vacation studying gulls, he heard that Lady Yuna had gone missing, along with two of her companions. Calix then decided to try to find her, in order to ask her about Shiva . . . for he feels a strange connection with the presence he felt in the Macalania Temple, and with that dead Fayth.

[The Following has be stripped of any OOC chats that have happened during the duration of the RP! I also tried to differentiate between different character scenes with gaps…I hope it was easy to understand.

I'm not sure if the story would make sense if I just pull it out from the RP…so I'll try out a chapter or two and hopefully if anyone gives an opinion, I'll decide how I'll do the other chapters accordingly! ]

****

The Story Begins…

Silver Fang walked down the Mi'ihen Highroad, heading to Luca after a long journey. He was wearing his usual black outfit, his Gunblade hanging from his belt and playing with a black blitzball. He just heard about High Summoner Yuna going missing a little while ago. Silver was a guy that admired Yuna a lot. And he, too, thought her as the most beautiful woman in Spira. Kind of like his hopeless love, but he didn't care. If there was something he could do to find her he would.

…

Lucine sat near the Luca entrance. She had just traveled the Highroad, so she was resting before she actually entered Luca. She threw her pack on the ground and sat on a bench near the stairs. She peered out over the Highroad, and there she could see a tiny black dot traveling down towards her.

…

As he got closer to Luca Silver noticed someone sitting just before the stairs that led into the city. His tiger-eyes could see it was a girl, a beautiful one. Deciding to be polite he took off the mask that covered his eyes and lowered the scarf. "Hello," he called, nodding. _Maybe she knows something about the High Summoner..._ he thought, smiling at her.

Lucine jumped, surprised. She looked around for the person who had called to her, but couldn't see him. Then she realized that it had been the black dot on the road. "Um...hello!" She called back. As he got closer, she could see he was wearing all black and carried a blitzball in his hands. _Well... Maybe he knows something about he High Summoner Yuna_, She thought, smiling back. She bent down and picked up her pack, waiting for the stranger in black.

"There are fiends around, not safe to have a picnic here," Silver joked, walking besides her. "My name is Silver, by the way." He was smiling for first time in a while, for he had been alone a long time during his journey to Zanarkand and back. It was good to talk to a woman once again, since the only human he found on his way was that old geezer Maechen.

"Hey, I can handle myself just fine," Lucine said, walking along beside Silver. "And my name is Lucine. So what are you doing here in Luca, Silver?" She asked, watching his tail twitch back and forth.

"High Summoner Yuna," Silver answered. "The word is she disappeared along with three more persons: two women and a man. I've came here to find whatever I can and do what is needed to find her." He looked at the girl and waited for her answer, wondering is she would laugh at him or just take him for some crazy guy with lots of free time.

…

Serenity walked off the S.S. Liki, her hands atop her highlighted light brown hair. It had been a long, uneventful boat ride from Besaid Island to Luca City, and Serenity needed to stretch. She wandered off the busy docks towards the direction of the theatre. It was way too noisy for her to look around for clues at the Blitzball stadium; she was used to the quiet of the Island. She figured she would go back later, when she had a few minutes to adjust. So Serenity made her way towards the balcony where Luca lead to the Mi'ihen Highroad. She knew her way around even though she hadn't visited the mainland since she was a little girl; her parents always told her of their adventures.

__

And now…they're gone… Serenity thought sadly as she climbed the stairs to the upper level.

…

Lucine gasped. "You're searching for the High Summoner Yuna also?" She could hardly believe her luck! Surely he knew something about the High Summoner.

"I'm looking for her too. One of the other women who went with her was my mother, Rikku. I'm here trying to find someone with some information. You wouldn't happen to know anything about them, would you?" She asked, as she walked into Luca. But as she was talking to Silver, she bumped into another girl with light brown hair. "Oh...um...excuse me. Are you okay?" She said, facing the girl.

…

Zephyr appeared to be aiming at something from an outcrop on Mushroom Rock Road. The infrared sight of her gun was handy for tracking people she was looking for - she just had to be careful not to pull the trigger . . .  
  
"Damn, not here either!" she cried in aggravation, shoving her gigantic gun into its clasp at her belt. "I've combed half of Spira already, Lucine! Why do you have to be so bloody hard to find?"  
  
With that, and a few muttered curses, she made her way back onto the beaten path and continued southward on foot, to the north entrance of the Mi'ihen Highroad. Riding a chocobo, although a good idea in theory didn't work out in practice. For some reason, the big yellow birds of burden had never liked Zephyr. She blamed it on the ambient odor of gunpowder and sulfur that followed her wherever she went. Hey, it wasn't her fault she had been raised as an alchemist . . .

…

Silver looked at the girl Lucine bumped into and was about to pass out. She was just like the High Summoner, the exact beauty. But then he realized it wasn't her. Although Yuna was still the most beautiful woman in Spira, she was older, mature…but this one was just about his age.

…

Zephyr glared spitefully at travelers on the backs of chocobos, which steered wide arcs around her.  
  
"Oh, please," she muttered, "it's not that bad. I must have a repelling aura or something . . ."  
  
She trudged onwards along the highroad, and noticed the gathering stratus clouds, promising a long, wet hike yet to come. As soon as she even thought this most dreadful of thoughts, the first raindrop fell with a petite little plish on the dirt road in front of her. She glared at the wet spot on the ground spitefully, and made a point of grinding it into a muddy solution with her heel as she passed. She didn't like rain. Rain put fires out.

…

As they were standing there, Lucine felt a tiny drop of rain hit her nose. "Eeep! We better get out of here before it starts to rain! C'mon, we better get to an inn or something before it really starts pouring." She ran through the sprinkling rain, looking for somewhere the rain couldn't reach. Since this was her first time in Luca, she wasn't exactly sure where to go.

…

Zephyr's mood became progressively worse as the rain came down harder and harder. She trudged through the mud in a miserable state, the tempest soaking her to the bone, until she caught sight of the dome in Luca. Aha, there was hope.  
  
She unclipped her monstrous weapon from her belt and sighted the city. People walking around; she was too far away to read their specific heat signatures. She had a database on her gun of heat signatures of friends, acquaintances, and complete strangers whom she thought it would be interesting to recognize from miles away. Lucine was a member of the latter group.  
  
Bent on finding her quarry, she broke into a run in the torrents of rain. Being tall and well built, her speed was not to be laughed at - but it was her luck that saved her from slipping in the mud.

…

Silver took off his scarf and threw it at Lucine so it would serve both girls as some kind of protection against the water. "Follow me" he said starting to run towards the stadium. Suddenly, he realized he was running at his normal speed and leaving the girls behind, so he stopped and waited for them to catch up.

Serenity had no time to apologize to the girl as rain started to pour down heavily. The man she was with threw a scarf at them, and Serenity huddled underneath it with the girl, following him. _He sure runs fast…_

As she ran through the city, Silver's scarf over her head, Lucine caught sight of the Luca Dome. It meant shelter from the rain, and maybe a chance to see a blitzball match. "Maybe we could stay in here until the rain lets off." She said to Silver and the mysterious girl who she had bumped into.  
  
Inside the stadium were thousands of people. She hadn't realized blitzball games could be so crowded! This was the first one she had ever been to. And it was Guado Glories vs. Al Bhed Psyches.


	2. No Chance Encounter

[Whee, my first reviewer! Thanks Shadowsin! I hope you enjoy the rest! ]

****

No Chance Encounter

At the gates of Luca, Zephyr skidded to a marvelous halt, stopping completely on the terrace overlooking the city on her knees. She was completely spattered with rainwater and mud. Undeterred, she glanced through the sight of her gun. What . . . AHA! The heat signature! She was right there! And near her . . . that was a really close match to Yuna . . .  
  
Jackpot. Zephyr leapt down the steps into the city, and ran not for the group of people she had sighted, but for the shadows near them. Wouldn't want to introduce herself so suddenly. Better get to know them before letting them get to know her. Ehehehe . . .  
  
She had unwittingly walked right into a blitzball match, having no real idea where she was, knowing only that she was so, so close to the end of her chase. However, when Zephyr caught sight of the Glories playing those insufferably arrogant Psyches . . . she couldn't help but scream and push her way to the rail. Hunt later. Cheer for the home team now.

…

"A game!" Silver suddenly got excited, and spun his blitzball on his middle finger. "Oh, I've been wanting to play for so long!"

Lucine watched Silver as he spun the ball on his finger. "Wow, you're good. Which team do you play for?" She asked, sitting down on one of the stone bleachers. It was cold, but at least the were dry and far from the rain. Lucine wasn't very fond of lightning. And rain and lightning went together like..._A summoner and her aeons_, She decided.

"Whoohoo! C'mon, Glories! Kick their pansy asses!"

…

Not only was her language somewhat abrasive, Zephyr also had an oddly deep voice. Her voice was pleasing to the ear, although clearly alto in pitch. She leaned heavily on the railing and watched the game intently through her perfect eyes, the details thrown into sharper focus by her specially crafted cobalt-tinted lenses.

…

Serenity covered her ears at the cheering of the stadium, closing her right eye, only revealing the left blue eye. "It's so noisy…" she muttered, looking around. She noticed the guy had a blitzball. She loved blitzball. It was natural, since her father played and the Besaid Aurochs lived on the same Island. Serenity sat down beside the girl, her ears still covered and eye still closed. "Oh, sorry about bumping into you before," Serenity said to her, watching the guy with the blitzball, resisting the urge to play with it herself.

"I have no team, I play for that one that pays me. I've been with the Luca Goers, the Kilika Beasts and even with the Ronso," Silver laughed and threw the ball at Lucine for her to hit it with her head.

"Oh, no problem, but I think I'm the one who bumped into you," Lucine said to the girl, giggling. As she turned back towards Silver, she saw a blitzball coming right towards her. Instead of bumping it with her head, it ended up bumping her in the head. It whacked her right between the eyes. "Owie..." She said, falling to her knees. "That really hurt." Tears started welling up in her eyes, but she was determined to force them back.

Silver was surprised. He didn't think he'd thrown the blitzball that hard. He kneeled next to her and bowed several times. "I'm so sorry, really," Silver said, wiping the single tear that managed to roll down her cheek. "I'm really sorry."

…

Along with the rest of the spectators, Zephyr turned to see where the rogue blitzball had gone. Imagine her surprise when she saw her quarry on her knees and nearly in tears from the pain of the ball!  
  
"Well, this looks like a bloody convenient time to introduce myself," she muttered with a sly smile. Wiping it off of her face for the purposes of appearing like any good Samaritan, she ran to the side of Rikku's daughter and crouched down next to her.  
  
"Oh, gods, that ball hit you, didn't it?" she said, eyes panicked and concerned. (Zephyr was an exceptional actress.) "Here, maybe I can help . . ." She rummaged around in a pocket of her coat and pulled out a small corked bottle of green liquid and a satchel of orange-pink powder. She added a pinch of the powder to the bottle and presented the solution, which had transformed almost instantly into a crystal clear syrup, to Lucine. "This should ease the pain . . ."

…

Serenity giggled with the girl as well then gasped as the blitzball hit her on the forehead. Serenity stood up as the girl fell on her knees, and the guy kneeled down beside her. Another person had approached them and begun helping the girl. "Are you alright?" Serenity asked, hovering over them. She had opened her other eye and took her hands away from her ears, looking down at them with blue and green eyes.

Silver suddenly got confused. That woman just appeared out of nowhere, threw him aside and began taking care of Lucine. What the hell was happening? "Excuse me... miss, but who might you be?" He didn't want to sound rude, though he could smell some kind of alteration in her, the light smell of a lie... not to mention the sound of her heart pounding just a little faster, not enough for even the woman to notice.

Lucine stood up and fought the tears. Even so, one managed to roll down her cheek, which was wiped quickly away by Silver. As she felt her forehead for any damage, a tall girl who looked of Guado ancestry came running toward her, offering a clear liquid. "Um...is this safe to drink?" She asked.

Sensing she had been caught, Zephyr turned to look at Silver. She smirked; this could be their little secret. Her eyes betrayed little behind their cobalt lenses, but the wink communicated a great deal to the tiger demon half-breed.  
  
"They call me Zephyr," she said, nearly inaudible in the noise of the stadium. "A wandering chemist and sniper, always willing to offer a helping hand . . . I'm sorry, I didn't steal your thunder, did I?" she asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

She turned back to Lucine. "Perfectly safe," she assured her. "A hi-potion with just a pinch of dispel tonic - it'll heal any ailment, mark my words." Zephyr grinned. "I'll test it for you, if you don't trust me."

Lucine saw the wink between this new girl Zephyr and Silver. She wasn't exactly sure what it meant, but decided to put it off till later. She would have to focus on what was happening now. She looked towards Zephyr. "Steal my...thunder?" She asked confused and sill holding the strange clear liquid. She felt a little slow after what had just happened.

Zephyr blinked, apparently confused herself, and shook her head. "I meant - ah, nevermind. We'll save it for later, alright? Come on angel eyes, take a sip. You're disoriented - here, we should really get you out of this stadium . . . it's so loud in here." She looked to Serenity and Silver imploringly. Zephyr had no desire to touch any of them, let alone steer Lucine out of the building; she'd probably freak them out somehow. "What do you guys think?"

She took a sip of the Hi-Potion. It tasted warm. Then she handed the bottle back to Zephyr. "No…no...I'm fine. I can walk." Lucine took a wobbly step forward, but a step all the same. "It would be nice to go somewhere quieter, though." But she could see that it was still raining outside.

Serenity nodded her head. As much as she would have loved watching the blitzball game, the sound was becoming too much for her. She was getting a headache. "Maybe we can go into the hall of the locker rooms?" Serenity offered. Standing outside in the rain catching a cold wasn't much better.

Zephyr accepted the bottle with a nod and re-corked it, shoving it in one of many pockets. "Locker rooms are this way," she shouted over the noise. The mysterious alchemist began to make her way towards a side-door leading to the locker room hallway. She was fairly easy to pick out in the crowd and to follow, being somewhat tall and having an unusual appearance.

Lucine followed after Zephyr, pushing her way through the crowd. She knew the Hi-Potion was working, because she was no longer stumbling around. That stuff sure was potent!

…

Serenity lingered for a short while, watching the Psyches score a goal, and she cheered along with the loud crowd. It was much easier on the ears when she cheered _with_ them. After that, Serenity searched around for the rest of them, and easily found the mysterious person who had approached them, and quickly followed after them.

Lucine looked back around her shoulder. She could see Serenity following close behind her. Soon they would be out of this giant mess of people and safe in the locker rooms, where there was blessed peace and quiet.


	3. The Missing Persons

****

The Missing Persons

Silver didn't want to go. The match was a pretty good one... for the Guado and the Al Bhed, who weren't remembered as exactly the best Blitzball teams. In fact, the Aurochs were the current champions, to everyone's surprise. He rolled his ball again, suddenly remembering why it hurt Lucine. The black blitzball he got was five times heavier than a normal one. For him it meant nothing, but a human could end up hurt being pretty bad injured by it. His training tool.  
  
"Is there a chance we might find a team who needs and extra player?" he asked Lucine, smiling as always. "I've been wanting to play for so long." That much was true, since he left his home at Kilika to visit his birthplace, Zanarkand, he had been wanting to have a good match. That's the reason he took his blitzball with him, though it wasn't the same to play by himself than with a team inside the Aqua-Sphere at Luca. "Oh yeah... but there's still the High Summoner Yuna's matter..." He looked at the girl that looked exactly like her and smiled. Could there be a connection between them?

…

Zephyr opened the side door (odd, since she wasn't a member of a team or the staff so probably didn't have a key) and held it open for Lucine, Silver and Serenity. "Come on," she called.

…

Serenity followed them without saying a word, but something the guy said triggered something in her mind, and she looked up at him, noticing he was looking at her and smiling. Serenity smiled back, anxious about asking him what he knew. "…Do you know anything about High Summoner Yuna's…matter?" It was odd to refer to her mother like that, and so vaguely as well, but she didn't want to attract any attention to her, though some would say her appearance was a dead giveaway.  
  
The mysterious woman opened the door into a locker room, and Serenity stared at the open doorway for a while, wondering how she was able to have access into it. Serenity blinked, then hesitantly walked through the open door. "Thank you," she said to the woman as she walked passed her into the room.

…

Lucine looked back at Silver. "Well...I think maybe we should start with the High Summoner Yuna first. I mean, that's why we all came here, right?" She said, not entirely sure. She looked at Zephyr and wondered why she was here in the first place. She didn't seem like the kind of person who would come to a blitzball game just for fun.  
  
She turned around and walked through the open door after Serenity. Maybe one of these people would know something about the High Summoner Yuna and her whereabouts.

…

"I came all the way back from Zanarkand when I heard the High Summoner went missing. Some former Summoner, Isaaru, was the one that informed me, but he knew nothing more." Silver turned at the girl, his back against the wall as he kept his arms folded "And so has Lucine. She's Lady Rikku's daughter. And you... got any relation with the High Summoner Yuna? You sure look like her... even got those eyes. One pale blue as the sky, the other shiny green as an emerald."

"Ooo.... That's right!" Lucine exclaimed, looking into Serenity's eyes. I didn't notice it before, but you really _do_ look like the High Summoner Yuna." She wondered if she really could be the High Summoner Yuna's daughter, or if it was just a coincidence.

…

Zephyr closed the door behind the group, and if any of them had tried to open it, they would have found it very definitely locked. The insignia of the Guado Glories was painted on one wall of the room.  
  
She leaned against the lockers quietly, waiting until she was spoken to. It was an adorable coincidence, really - it looked as if this little quest was really going to take off. Well . . . at least it gave her something to do. Zephyr was quickly tiring of her search for a father that, she was well aware, would not welcome her.

…

Serenity laughed nervously, leaning back slightly as Lucine, as the guy had named her, looked into her eyes. "Thanks for the compliment," she said to both Lucine and the guy. She wasn't sure whether to admit it or not, but it seemed she was caught, and if this Lucine really was Rikku's daughter, then… "I…High Summoner Yuna is my mother," Serenity put as plainly as she could, smiling innocently though she hadn't done anything. "I'm Serenity. Pleased to meet all of you." She bowed slightly, then looked at Lucine. "Rikku's daughter, huh? And you met Isaaru?" Serenity said, moving her gaze to the guy. She had so many questions to ask but didn't know where to start.

"Yes, I met Isaaru at Lady Yunalesca's chamber at Zanarkand. I was born there... and many things happened there to make me call Zanarkand my homeland" Silver said, taking his scarf and putting it around his neck. "Then, if you're Lady Yuna's daughter, you might know what happened to her...and to her husband... and to Lucine's mother... oh it's just a sign of good luck to have encountered you here."

Serenity brushed a hand through her hair and squatted down where she was. It looked like they were expecting her to know something, when she herself counted upon them knowing something. "I have no clue what happened to my parents, or your mother, Lucine," Serenity said painfully. "My parents said they had to leave…something strange was detected somewhere in Spira or something like that, and they said they had to leave to check it out. But…" Serenity squinted her eyes to keep from crying.

"They never came back." Serenity was silent for a moment, then she stood up. "And I know exactly who can tell us what's going on." She looked at the others in the room in turn. "They've been behind everything that was corrupt in Spira since the infamous war thousands of years ago! Bevelle and its organization of Yevon."

Silver looked into Serenity's eyes and sat next to her. "We're gonna find them," he said in a low voice. "Maybe I have no relation with the High Summoner or any of her companions, but I promise you we're going to find them even if that means to behead every priest in Spira. Just like my father told me... Yevon, New Yevon, what's the difference? Just a war of lies they call religion. Don't worry, I bet your mother is alright. After all, she defeated not only Sin, but Vegnagun too. I grew up listening to my mother, telling me stories about her. She's a great woman."  
  
Silver couldn't think of anything else to cheer her up. He was better with his blade or his blitzball than he was with his tongue. He looked up at Lucine and smiled at her, knowing it was hard for her to know nothing about her mother's whereabouts. He himself, even when he was a lone traveler, he missed his mother every time he was away. She and his father were part of the Youth League and lived in Kilika. His dad a Tiger Demon like him, his mom a former blitzer from the Kilika Beasts, a strange couple if we count that Tiger Demons aren't very common outside the Calm Lands.

…

Lucine saw Silver smiling at her, so smiled back as she sat down beside them both. They were talking about New Yevon being behind this, but she wasn't sure it was true. During the time of Sin it had been true, but certainly not now or when Vegnagun had been around. Shuyin had been controlling the leader of New Yevon, Baralai, which had led many to believe it was their fault. But Lucine wasn't convinced. From what her mother had told her about the whole thing, it just didn't make sense that New Yevon had been behind it.

"Well, I'm not sure if New Yevon is behind this, but at this point, I'm just interested in finding out where our parents are." She said, looking at the two of then. "All I know is that they're somewhere near or on the ocean. My mother said she was going on some kind of ship before she left. It could've been a regular cruise ship, or," She said, her eyes lighting up. "It could have been an Al Bhed salvage ship! Those are great for digging up stuff in the ocean."  
  
If the ship High Summoner Yuna had taken was an Al Bhed salvage ship, then her grandfather would know about it. "Hey guys!" She said, jumping up. "My grandfather Cid might know something about the salvage ship! Should we travel to see him? The last I heard, he was at the Thunder Plains, trying to fix some of the lighting rods there."

…

Serenity gave the guy a smile and wiped away a tear that had managed to fall down her check. "Thank you for making me feel better," Serenity said, her voice expressing deep gratitude. She still didn't know his name, and figured there would be time to ask later. Being nameless made him more mysterious to her, and she liked it at the moment.  
  
Serenity then glanced at Lucine and nodded. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions in suspecting that New Yevon had something to do with all of this, but she wasn't going to cross them off the list just yet. "Grandfather Cid?" Serenity asked. She never met him, but was just as eager to. "Sounds like a great place to start. I'm sure the rain's stopped by now. Let's go!"

Serenity smiled, happy that they were all finally on some sort of track, and got up and headed towards the door, passing by the odd woman who had come with them but hadn't spoken a word since they'd got there. Serenity went to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. Serenity gawked at it, and tried again, but to no avail. "The door's locked…"

…

"Alright!" Lucine said, jumping up and down happily. They were finally getting somewhere. Feeling much better, she walked up to Zephyr. "I wanted to thank you for the hi-potion." She said, smiling. "I meant to earlier, but...well, you know. The whole blitzball thing. But anyway, well, I was wondering if you'd like to accompany us on our mission to find the High Summoner Yuna?"

…

"Locked?!" Silver was surprised... being around girls made him drop his guard. Now he would regret it. He was never a Guado hater, but nor did he like them. And this half Guado had them into her trap. Or so she thought...  
  
"Back," he called and took a few steps back, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before running towards the door. He slammed against it and heard something breaking. Not his bones... but a part of the lock that kept them inside. "Again..." he walked back and slammed the door once more, now blasting it open. And impressive door, he could say. A normal one wouldn't be able to resist half of his strength. "Now we are good to go."

"That was completely unnecessary," Zephyr said. She spoke in a flat, cold tone, unimpressed by this brute. Her hand hovered on the gigantic alchemist's gun at her waist. "My half-brother is training with the Glories, so I happen to have a key. They won't be happy to hear that a presumptuous demon destroyed their door." A blatant lie, to Zephyr, but it was a convincing enough statement. The half-Guado chuckled inside. Wasn't it common knowledge that demolitionists were just a specialized branch of thieves and rogues?  
  
In any case, she'd never win the trust of Rikku's daughter if she admitted that she had just picked the lock. She looked towards her, and sighed. "Quite frankly, Lady Lucine, I may end up causing more harm than good if this hateful and arrogant man calls himself your ally . . . and I wouldn't want to get in your way."  
  
All the while, Zephyr weighed the odds - it was something she had gotten quite good at, in her years as a vagabond. The daughters of two heroes would doubtless be decent warriors, and if they were lacking in strength, the tiger devil could assist them . . . they would definitely be able to cast a spell or two, especially Yuna's daughter.  
  
They didn't need her at all; not for healing, or for wreaking ridiculous amounts of havoc. She was just an auxiliary unit. Hmm. . . She'd have to advance her status, she imagined, before she could join the group officially. For now, she took a chance, just in case she didn't actually need to go through the trouble . . .  
  
"So, although I apologize sincerely . . . it's either him or me." She gazed at the exit, ruined by the advance of the demon, and seemed prepared to leave. The odds were against her. She knew it. But she would turn them back in her favor soon enough . . . she always found a way.


	4. A Bumpy Start

[Another reviewer! Thanks! No one complained about it being hard to follow, so I'm going to continue doing it as I have till someone does.]

****

A Bumpy Start

"But..." Silver put on his gloves and hid his claws. Wha-why was she like that all of sudden? Wasn't she the one that locked the door? "Hey, I'm not the bad guy here... and I know I'm no friend of the Guado's, I still remember what that Seymour did to Lady Yuna, but we can work it out. After all, we all are here just for one reason: to find the High Summoner and her companions. That's our goal, isn't it?"

…

"Hey! _Silver!_" Lucine said, punching him in the side with her elbow. "That wasn't very nice you know," She whispered. "Zephyr could be a wonderful ally to have on our side!" Then she stepped away from Silver and looked toward Zephyr.  
  
"I know that the Guado haven't always been thought of as the most...trustworthy companions," Lucine said carefully. "But that was so long ago, during the time of Sin. It's just like New Yevon. A whole race or group can't be held responsible for one of their group-member's actions! I find that a race's reputation can be tainted just because of one little accident that was really not their fault. Just some no-good, slimy jerk that messes things up!" She had to take a deep breath before continuing. All the ranting was making her tired."

"Anyway, what I'm saying is, I think I trust you Zephyr. Well...at least enough to let you join our group, if you would reconsider. I know that you'd make a marvelous ally. You seem like the kind of person that would keep your cool even during the most desperate situations, which we might need. Plus your extensive knowledge of items will definitely prove handy on our travels."  
  
After all that she had said, she hoped that she would convince Zephyr to travel with them. "And I'm sure you and Silver could get along. He's not that bad once you get to know him." She smiled and ruffled Silver's hair playfully.

…

Silver laughed softly, kind of blushing at the same time. What Lucine said was true. Silver never _actually _met Seymour Guado, or had to live in the time of Sin to see what Yevon was doing to the people and how was it controlling them. He only knew that by his father who was a Crusader long ago, then turned into a member of the Youth League. And, of course, his point of view was passed to Silver, and so he lived. But now he thought about Lucine's words and realized he'd been so naive. Maybe he would learn something useful besides knocking doors down while traveling with those girls.  
  
"I'm sorry" he told both Lucine and the half-Guado called Zephyr "Just... brain isn't my strong point, and I do or say things without thinking."

…

Serenity smiled to herself, watching Lucine try and bond Silver and Zephyr together. She then nodded and clapped her hands together, jumping into place on the other side of Lucine, and lightly put her arm on the blonde's shoulder. "Yes, I do hope you reconsider and join us! I don't think ill of the Guado myself. Putting aside the tales of 'Seymour Guado', I think Tromell's doing a pretty good job of leading the Guado to a fresh new start devoid of the past. I want us all to go on this journey together! So please don't say you won't come."

…

Zephyr smiled slyly, and rubbed her gloved wrist thoughtfully before pushing her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose. So she wouldn't have to make herself useful . . . but she remembered the plan for later on, until she needed to raise the odds in her favor. She'd lucked out, this time.  
  
"Maybe my intelligence can even out the demon's brawn," she said evenly, her smirk audible in her voice. "I'll go with you. And," she added, "if you want my opinion . . . I think we should go first to those closest to the missing, and not to New Yevon." The half-Guado crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "You know . . . let's not be presumptuous," she said, eyeing Silver.

"I think Gippal, Cid, or Wakka and Lulu are our most viable sources of information," she added, and then grinned, genuinely. Out of habit, she pulled out her massive gun and shouldered it. She had a very definite air of danger and chaos around her at that moment: that smile, her stance, the deadly weapon she held. "Let's go for it."

…

Silver wanted to put his mask on again but didn't, knowing it would be an obvious sign that he was a little uncomfortable. But why? He was with three pretty girls, although he had some problems with the third one.  
  
Maybe his frustration was because he just wanted to find Lady Yuna so bad. He had met her once, when he was a kid she visited Zanarkand along with her... husband was he that blonde guy? Since then he felt there could be no beauty that could match hers.  
  
"Ok then, you lead the way and I'll watch your backs," he said, playing with his black blitzball "I may not be the smart one but I should know Spira as my backyard. We'll find the High Summoner's crew one way or another. So..." he walked and placed a hand in front of the Guado girl, "... friends?"

…

Zephyr smiled and switched her gun from her right to her left hand so she could shake his hand. "Not friends," she said, gripping his hand surprisingly tightly and giving it a hearty shake, "comrades in arms. You want to help me fix this door now, Silver?" She released his hand and clipped her gun to her belt before walking over to the door and picking it up, trying to replace it in its frame. "If you could just hold this here, buddy, I'll fix the hinges. I don't think my little brother would appreciate it if his sister's new friends busted down his team's door."

…

__

Well, at least they're getting along now. Lucine thought to herself, smiling. While Silver and Zephyr were fixing the door, she thought about where they could go. The closest place to Luca was Besaid Island. Lulu and Wakka might know something...but if they didn't, there was always her dad who lived in the Bikanel Desert, just another ship away. Other than that, there really wasn't anybody who was that close to her mother or the High Summoner Yuna. Maybe Kimahri on Mt. Gagazet or Buddy, who had been one of the Gullwings commanders during the time of Vegnagun. And there was always her grandfather they could go and see about the Al Bhed salvage ship. If they had the time or the money maybe they could visit them. It would be nice to visit Mt. Gagazet and see Kimahri again. Plus, they could go and see the statue of the High Summoner Yuna at the summit.  
  
"Well, guys? What do you think?" She said, pacing around. "We could go to Besaid Island first to see what Wakka and Lulu know and then, if that doesn't work out, we could always visit my dad on Bikanel Island."

…

Serenity lifted her arm off Lucine's shoulder and stretched. "Hey, your brother plays for the Guado Glories? That is so cool!" Serenity pretended that she was kicking a blitzball. She was still learning how to breath underwater—her longest time had been 23 seconds so far—but that didn't stop her from loving the game. Especially with everyone in her family having some sort of ties with the sport past time. Serenity would have asked to play with Silver's black blitzball, but after the incident with Lucine, she wasn't so keen on doing so for a while.  
  
"Back to Besaid Island, huh? Sounds great! Though Lulu and Wakka are going to kill me…" The fact that she pulled a 'Yuna', that is, leaving Besaid without so much a word, as her mother once did when she left to become a sphere hunter. Serenity felt a bit nervous to go back, in all honesty, but was confident that it would be okay. Serenity clasped her hands behind her and begun swaying from side to side while waiting for the two to fix the door.

…

Silver lifted the door and placed it on it's right place, holding it with his left arm while watching Serenity and Lucine talked about were to go. "Well, for all that we could use an airship, though I don't really trust those things," he remembered when one crashed near his house at the summit near Zanarkand, where he had lived when he was but a child. "I rather walk or even swim, I'm good at both. But if it's for the High Summoner I'll just have to hold my stomach." He laughed a little and smiled at the girls.  
  
"I have to admit visiting Mt. Gagazet again is something I'd love. Ronso's at least treat me like one of them, something most people in Spira won't do. You know... use demon creatures are still considered... well... demons, fiends. And I have to thank Yevon for that."

…

Mt. Gagazet's icy peaks shimmered with the afternoon sun. It was a blessing that there had not been a severe storm for a certain young Ronso that made it's way towards the main village. With every step, the Ronso would wriggle some snow in between her black clawed toes, enjoying the pleasantly cold feeling. In the left blue/gray furred hand of the Ronso was a bucket filled with warm spring water, the steam rising not as high as it once did when it was taken fresh from the hot springs. The Ronso would've gone faster, but she could not allow one drop of her burden to touch the snow.  
  
The Ronso's ears both twitched a bit, picking up the sound of fiends hunting. She would gladly have went off and faced any of them if circumstances were more forgiving.  
  
(I have been given a duty and I will follow through. Elder Kimahri is counting on me.)  
  
The Ronso leader was important to his people. And now more then ever were they worried about him.  
  
(Ever since Lady Yuna, Rikku and Paine have been missing, Poor elder has become more and more sick. He can not leave Mt. Gagazet to go look and we have no clue where to even start searching...)  
  
The Ronso stopped and stomped a rather small fiend with her foot.  
  
(If I were older they would allow me to go search. Instead all I can do now is bring the Elder warm water for tea.)  
  
During the thought process, a slight rumbling had begun, and its volume increased as the process ended. The Ronso's right ear bent towards her backside, listening to heavy snarl like breathing and heavy pronounced steps. The sound of the steps was slightly muffled and in tune with the slight scritch-scritch of claws against stone and snow.  
  
(An animal fiend with padded feet. It's big, big enough to not wish to hide. Must be a very confident monster.)  
  
The Ronso turned around and saw a rather large gray/green furred behemoth like creature stomping towards her.  
  
"You choose now to make come out and attack me?" The Ronso asked, setting down the bucket of water and pulling out a rather long spear.  
  
The spear was old, well taken care of by its lacquered appearance. Around the middle of the shaft long white bandages surrounded it, aiding in gripping the weapon. And on the top of the long shaft was the blade, long and sharp like a sword yet meant to be an axe thanks to it's considerable width.  
  
The behemoth like creature roared in a challenging tone.  
  
(It must've followed me from the springs. I should not have stopped. But I suppose it is best to eliminate it now before it followed me all the way to the village.)  
  
The Ronso jumped high into the air and began free falling towards the beast's head, weapon pointed downward.  
  
Upon contact, the beast reared back and slapped at the Ronso with its large paw, accompanying it's counter with a painful roar.  
  
The Ronso barely avoided the paw, instead, skidding to a halt on the slippery snow covered stone of the mountain trail on three limbs, the fourth being her right arm which held the axe, ready to go in for another attack.  
  
The beast stood on its back legs, the Ronso following suit. The Ronso charged the beast now. The behemoth noted the move and brought its hand paw down toward the Ronso. The Ronso dodged the attack, losing a bit of her momentum but taking the opportunity to now aim for the monster's belly. The Ronso pounced toward the beast's open stomach, only to be backhanded by the beast's other paw into the mountainside with a yelp of pain escaping her throat.  
  
Upon meeting the slanted mountainside with such strong force, falling face first onto the snow was only inevitable.  
  
"...Owww..." The Ronso said as she pushed herself off the ground, shaking off a bit of the snow. She looked up quickly and saw the behemoth coming down at her with another attack.  
  
(Oh no you don't!)  
  
The Ronso jumped off the ground and after slightly landing near a higher point on the slanted wall like rock did she push herself downward with her weapon pointed again at the monster's head. The behemoth looked up in time to receive a hard painful jab to its eye.  
  
The Ronso pulled her weapon out and jumped off to the side and watched the beast fall to the ground.  
  
(He's not dead...but he won't be as much of a threat with that eye gouged.)  
  
The behemoth writhed in pain, covering its eye with its paw and running back towards the mountain trail.  
  
"Now back to business." The Ronso said as she turned around. "I shouldn't have any more problems...Oh no."  
  
The Ronso's triumphant confidence died instantly. During the scuffle, the bucket of water had tipped over and spilled all of its contents. The Ronso bent down and picked up the bucket, looking inside for any possible drops of water being left.  
  
"Now I'm in trouble..." The Ronso said.


	5. The Makings of a Pilgrimage

****

The Makings of a Pilgrimage

"Well, Mt. Gagazet is pretty far away...maybe we should start with Besaid Island first. We just have to take a ship across. It won't take too long." Lucine said after the door had been fixed.

…

The young Ronso rushed toward the mountain trail entrance.  
  
"Elder!" The Ronso called to a slightly hunched over male Ronso leaning on a wooden staff.  
  
The older male turned around, revealing a slightly grayer Kimahri.  
  
"What is it?" The elder asked the Ronso.  
  
"I...I'm sorry I could not bring spring water. I came back to apologize. I will return with it quickly." The young Ronso said.  
  
The elder shook his head.  
  
"That is not important. I have new job for you." Kimahri said.

"What can I do to serve you, Elder?" the Ronso bowed.  
  
"Stand." Kimahri said simply.  
  
The Ronso did as she was told.  
  
"Younger Ronso very important to rest of us. It is you who have energy and strength to carry out future." Kimahri began.  
  
(What does this have to do with a job?) The Ronso thought.  
  
"I wish for you to find Lady Yuna." Kimahri said.  
  
"Elder..." The Ronso trailed off.  
  
"I am not young and our people need me here."  
  
"But Elder...I do not question your judgment, but what of the others who search for Lady Yuna?"  
  
"They are older and do not listen to Elder as young Ronso do. You are young and willing to learn and listen to old Ronso."  
  
"Elder..."  
  
"Do you not wish to go?"  
  
"No Elder, it not that. I...I just afraid of disappointing you."  
  
"You will not. I give you good clue to find Yuna. Go to Besaid Island."  
  
"That is-"  
  
"Where Lady Yuna began her story. There you can follow her trail."  
  
The young Ronso nodded.  
  
"I, Lhinx Ronso will find Lady Yuna for Elder Kimahri." The young Ronso said.  
  
Kimahri smiled proudly.  
  
"Not for Kimahri, for Spira," the elder said, receiving a nod as a reply.

…

"Well, I haven't been in Besaid for years. It would be nice to see it again," Silver said. "Maybe then I can play blitzball against Wakka, I've heard he's pretty good."

…

(According to Elder Kimahri's direction's, there should be a ferry service near Zanarkand.) Lhinx thought as she walked through the exit of the cave that led to the path to Zanarkand.  
  
(I can't believe I'm actually doing this...What is Elder Kimahri thinking? I can't even take a bucket of water down from the spring, how does he expect me to find Lady Yuna? She was to go to Zanarkand, and then suddenly she went missing...what could've happened?) Lhinx thought.

…

"Alright, then! Besaid it is!" Lucine opened her pack and was rummaging around inside, when she pulled out a small leather bag. "I think I've got enough Gil here to get us to Besaid and back." She jingled the bag a bit. "Yup. Definitely enough."

"You're in an odd little dream world indeed if you think you're paying the way for all of us," Zephyr chided as she carefully placed fire gem shards to weld the hinges of the door together. "I'm a woman of the world, I can pay for myself. I don't particularly look forward to the reception I'll be getting at Besaid Island, really . . ." She stepped back from the door and swung it experimentally. It moved smoothly, maybe even better than it did before. "I hear they're a bit touchy about Lord Seymour's . . . error, still."

"Okay, well," Lucine said, shaking the pouch again. "...Maybe just enough for all of us...one way." She grinned, trying to cover-up for her mistake. "And I'm sure Wakka and Lulu will welcome you, Zephyr. They really are nice people. In fact, the people of Besaid have probably put the whole Seymour thing behind them now." She said. Then, under her breath adding, "I hope..."

Zephyr pulled a coin from her pocket and flipped it in one hand amusedly, eyes following it on its glittering path through the air. "M'lady, have you ever heard of a half-Guado other than Lord Seymour? Aside from myself, I mean."

…

Lhinx yawned deeply as she leaned against the guardrail of the boat. The dock at Zanarkand was packed with visitors to the ancient city, much to the dismay of the Ronso.  
  
(Is nothing sacred anymore.)  
  
Too many times did some crazy tourist come up to her, wanting a picture or just to gawk at "an actual Ronso, can you believe it honey?".  
  
(Those people never get out I suppose...) Lhinx thought with an annoyed look on her beast-like face.  
  
Lhinx had been told many times about how years ago Spirans were very used to there being a Ronso around, but now that so few ever traveled with the lack of and little need for Pilgrimages.

…

Lucine thought about it a bit then answered. "None, I guess. But you don't look like Seymour. Everybody knew he was definitely part Guado. But you don't look it, so much. You have to look reeeally close to tell." She smiled widely at Zephyr.

…

"You say it as if looking like a Guado would be a bad thing," Zephyr said calmly, watching the coin on its path. "You see, Lucine . . . it's relatively simple. I, like Lord Seymour, am an unusual half-breed . . . and quite frankly, were I you I would not trust me." Zephyr looked past her coin at her quarry. She could tell, from the look on the face of Rikku's daughter, that phase one of the hunt was over. Her trust was solid, be it wise of her or not.  
  
"However," she said, returning her gaze to her coin with a smirk, "since I'm such a rare creature, as I am . . ." Zephyr laid both of her palms up as her coin arched through the air, and somehow or other, one coin landed in each palm - one heads, one tails. The heads side of her double coin was a stoic man's face, with eyes that were curiously rusted out. Upon the tails side was a pair of dice with no numbers inscribed upon their faces, plain cubes.  
  
"It's a one in a million chance," she said softly, looking up at Lucine with a smile. "Try to understand as best as you can . . ." Zephyr tossed the coins up again, and they seemed to join in midair before falling back down again into one palm. " . . . That luck and fate are two sides of the same coin."  
  
With a flick of the half-Guado's thumb, the coin spun into Lucine's hands in a shining silver arc. "We're fated to be on this mission together, Lucine," Zephyr said finally, with a somewhat dangerous grin that fit naturally onto her face. She looked over the room at everyone in it. "I believe it, and I hope all of you do too. So let's get this thing rolling!"

…

"Actually, I think you were the one who was worried about looking like a Guado in the first place." Lucine said, equally as calm. "And I do believe what you said about fate. If we are destined to journey together, why not trust you? I admit it might not be wise..." She looked Zephyr straight in the eye. "But for now, I'm willing to try." She looked at the coin in her hand. It indicated tails. Times when Lucine was serious were rare, but this was definitely an appropriate time.

…

Zephyr smirked. "Eh, take a chance on me. I could be the best psychotic little half-Guado you'll ever know." She turned around, ready to leave then looked over her shoulder.  
  
"Anyway, y'know what I mean about my appearance - my mother's a Guado, or rather, she, er . . . was a Guado." She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly before continuing. "I'm proud of what I am . . . it's just that other people sometimes don't trust me." She shouldered her gun with that rather creepy grin of hers. "Damn smart of them, really. When the mind of a Guado, the keeper of the Farplane, that which hears the voices of the dead and of the mad . . . when that merges with the drive and ridiculous ambition of a human, you get a Lord Seymour, or . . ."  
  
She narrowed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair in its sloppy bun, her smile widening. "Or you get a Zephyr - strong as a tempest, capricious as a tornado."  
  
She took a moment, then continued; "Seymour was a brilliant son of a gun, if out of his mind. I really hope I can do something as . . . visionary . . . as he did." Unable to surpress it, she burst out laughing.

…

The ship was well into the sea, land being nowhere in sight. Lhinx looked about the ship's deck, leaning back against the guardrails.  
  
(Tradesmen, returning tourists, fishermen and sailors. Nothing unusual I suppose.) The Ronso thought. (Other then me I suppose.)  
  
Her right ear cocked itself in a folded cone like shape and listened.  
  
"Bevelle has gone to crud I tell ya'. New Yevon instituted a new tax to build a new chapel." A sailor complained. "Even those who don't follow New Yevon are supposed to pay."  
  
"Well, can't you just not pay the tax?" A companion to the sailor asked.  
  
"They find you if you don't." The sailor replied. "They got those soldiers and all they do is terrorize civilians. I'm headed to Besaid to get a job and set up a way to get my family there. It ain't safe in Bevelle."  
  
(Interesting...) Lhinx thought.

…

Lucine couldn't help it. She let a little laugh escape her. Something about Zephyr's laugh made it very infectious. "Yes, I know what you mean. But maybe that's your problem. You're so used to people not trusting you, that you don't know anything else. Of course it's just a guess." She said, walking towards the door and stopping by Zephyr. "And I bet that someday you will be just as great as Lord Seymour. Only, you know, it will be something to help the whole of Spira. I just know it."

"Well, hey," Zephyr said with a shrug, smile still on her lips, "if I'm starting off by helping Rikku's daughter find the lost Gullwings, I figure I'm going somewhere with this funny little life of mine. But I digress," Zephyr said as she grinned and opened the perfectly balanced door. "I do believe we're off to the docks now, to get on our way to Besaid . . ."

Serenity looked at the two, who were both so serious that it sort of put her on edge. She stayed silent, looking off into space, drifting into her own world. It was terrible to see that such discrimination was still existed in Spira, after everything that happened. She only zoned back into reality with Zephyr's last comment.  
  
"…I really hope I can do something as…visionary…as he did."  
  
Serenity blinked, and looked at the girl. She figured it was a joke of some sort, or meant it in some other way, for soon the two were laughing. Serenity put on a smile, though still thoroughly confused, and walked off out the door, ready to head off, and needing some fresh air after being in the room for some time.

…

"Right! To Besaid we go, then!" Lucine marched out the door and headed for the docks, looking over her shoulder to se if the others were coming.

…

Lhinx sat down on the wooded deck of the boat, closing her eyes out of fatigue.  
  
(We should arrive in Besaid by morning. Then I'm too find someone named Wohkke...no no...That's not his name....Wooky....nooo...Wa-something...Wakker..?...No....Well, I know the first syllable, I guess that's good.) Lhinx thought.  
  
Sleep began to set in for the Ronso. An afternoon nap sounded way too good to pass up to the beast-like person.  
  
But good things tend to avoid those who desire them most.  
  
"Whadjoo say you son of a-#$%&?!" A loud, half-drunken voice thundered across the deck, silencing all who were in range of the sound.  
  
"You heard me. Besaid is nothin' more then a clod of dirt full of blitzer wannabes and stinkin' fish. They don't stand a chance in the tournament." Another drunken voice snapped back.  
  
A loud smack sound followed, bringing in loud chants and jeering as a deck fight ensued.  
  
(Why can't I ever have a moment's peace?) The Ronso thought, keeping her eyes shut.  
  
The noise intensified, what with almost all of the male passengers joining in just to get revenge on one accidental punch or kick that came their way.  
  
(Peace...Tranquility...)  
  
A large man tripped near Lhinx, his attacker going instead for the Ronso.  
  
(Aah, I'm bored anyways.)  
  
Lhinx rolled out of the way and punched the attacker square in the jaw.

…

Silver was really confused this time. But it suddenly hit him; he looked in his wallet and saw he had just enough money for his own pass. "Ok, if we have a problem to get money and get back we can build a boat and I'll pull it by swimming" he joked, really hoping that they could skip that.

…

Zephyr followed Lucine, looking like some sort of deadly bodyguard with her gun on her shoulder. Even so, she was smiling and humming a pretty - haunting, but pretty - tune.

…

Serenity stifled a laugh from Silver's remark, waiting until Lucine was ahead and then following after her, her hands atop her head again. She wasn't worried about money. She just got off the boat that left there, and still had the pass that took her back. Lucky she bought a round-trip ticket. "I don't think you'd make it all the way over to Besaid pulling all of us, Silver," Serenity teased.


	6. Voyage to the Isle of Besaid

****

Voyage to the Isle of Besaid

So Lucine led the way to the docks, walking out of the stadium, down the stairs, and around the corner. She was very eager to get going. Hopefully the trip there wouldn't take too long...

…

"I would, although you would have a pretty wet cat," Silver laughed, smiling at the girl and her comment. "And a very hungry one too."

Serenity smiled back at him. "Oh, and we wouldn't want that, now would we?" Serenity was feeling a bit hungry herself. She hoped that once they got to Besaid they'd throw a bonfire with a ton of food. Looking about the docks, Serenity spotted the boat she came here on. "I think that's it over there."

Silver looked at the boat and checked his money once again. "Ok, I think we are ready to go." he said, rolling the blitzball on the tip of his middle finger. "It touches dock on Kilika or goes straight to Besaid?"

…

Zephyr clipped her gun to her belt, stepped up and bought a pass from the first mate, who stood at the dock. Her money had strange runes on it, familiar to followers of New Yevon, and looked as if it could have been from the time of Sin. She returned to the group with the pass in hand, and smiled. "Hey, I'd help you pull," she offered. "I've got some mean speed and strength enhancing combos in these pockets of mine. You'd be amazed."

…

Almost all of the participants in the large scuffle were unconscious on deck, some letting off groans or other bodily noises one would not wish to put much thought upon.  
  
"I apologize for this." Lhinx said to the captain who had stepped out onto the deck to see what the commotion had been. "You not kick Lhinx off?"  
  
"If I weren't a Ronso Fangs fan I wouldn't be very happy with you right now." The captain said sternly, then smiled. "But you did teach some of them a lesson I suppose. So I'll allow you to stay on board."  
  
"Thank you captain."  
  
"We will be landing very shortly at Besaid." The captain said and was about to leave, but stopped and said one last thing. "I suggest you rest up there. I doubt there's much room out on deck to sleep."  
  
"Thank you again, sir."  
  
The captain left and the Ronso caught sight of the tiny speck of what was Besaid Island.  
  
(Wow, we're pretty close...) Lhinx thought, stepping over many of the sleeping men and going towards the front to watch the island get closer and closer.

"We are now at Besaid Island. We will be heading to Kilika Island soon as the boat from Luca arrives!" The captain said as many sailors and passengers sauntered off the wooden board ramp.  
  
Lhinx found herself trailing behind the majority, avoiding any of the angry looks she would get from those she had to beat up.  
  
(This is gonna come back and bite me in the tail, I just know it.) Lhinx thought as she walked towards the shore off the dock.

…

Lucine also walked up and paid for a ticket. Now they were ready to set sail. Well, almost. Serenity and Silver still had to buy their tickets first. "If you guys need money, I'll lend it to you." She said, playing with her ticket.

Serenity closed her eyes, smiling, as a cool water breeze began to blow. "Oh, that's okay Lucine, I've still got my round-trip ticket." She randomly picks into the pouch that was hanging around her waist and showed what she hoped was a ticket, for she kept her eyes closed as she did it. "You don't have to worry about me!"

…

"One ticket, please," Silver told the woman at the dock, who had a frightened look in her eyes when she saw the Tiger Demon in front of her.  
  
_Obviously she'd never seen one of us before..._

  
  
"Thank you very much" Silver faked a polite voice and took his ticket to ride the ship. He walked back to where Lucine and the others were, the angry gaze still in his eyes. "Why are humans so... scared of everything? First Sin, then Vegnagun and now the new menace that puts Spira in danger is me... the horrifying Tiger Demon."

Serenity opened her eyes as she heard Silver's footsteps coming towards them, thinking that they were ready to board the ship, but saw the anger in his eyes. "Thanks for generalizing the human race," she said to him, both annoyed because people were afraid of him, and because he failed to remember the three humans who stood in front of him weren't.

"And for the record, I think we humans have the right to be afraid of Sin and Vegnagun. That tends to happen when they're threatening to destroy you." Her gaze and voice then softens, and she turns away. "They just don't know you yet." It wasn't like she knew him like a book, but she knew him better than the woman who sold the tickets, at least. Serenity let out a meager, silent sigh and started off toward the boat.

…

Silver suddenly felt embarrassed of what he told and lowered his head. "I'm sorry," Silver apologized. "I think you're right. We Demons came out of fiends... some even from Sin's Spawns. Just...I don't like the way Humans think of us. Trust me, being a Tiger Demon pup makes you hard to get along with other kids."

"Aw, but I'm sure you were a cute Tiger Demon pup!" Lucine said cheerfully as they all boarded the boat. It was very large from front to back, and all a dark gray metal (quite depressing, actually). It had a large room below deck, and a small lookout tower above. "Well, all we do now is sit and wait."

…

(Wakko maybe...no..... why can't I remember his name? I've heard it a thousand times!) Lhinx thought in frustration as she strolled into the town. (....Wak-u...no...)  
  
The Ronso looked about and noted the temple up ahead.  
  
(Wow, it's nice looking.... Elder Kimahri told me Lady Yuna started her journey here...praying to the Fayth and in return receiving the help of powerful aeons...)  
  
Lhinx walked up to the building, lingering at the first column.  
  
(Elder Kimahri stood from afar as Lady Yuna summoned the aeon Valefor for the first time...He said how proud he was...but at the same time so very sad...)  
  
Lhinx walked to the entrance, passing through and seeing very few people within the walls of the once illustrious building.  
  
(The fate of the summoner...sacrificing their own life just to give temporary peace to a world that deluded itself with false teachings... How could they live such a life...)  
  
Lhinx snorted a bit and grinned slightly.  
  
(I guess it makes sense though...the only reason things are not like that anymore is because of that man from Zanarkand. He was the only one who dared to question the teachings that was not Al Bhed, other then Sir Auron...Elder Kimahri said how hard it was for Lady Yuna to go against the teachings and how Yevon betrayed her and then turned around and expected her to fix everything... She did though and Spira is now free of Sin and Vegnagun thanks to her and her friends....)  
  
"Elder how can you trust me to find such important people?" Lhinx asked aloud.

"You are searching for Lady Yuna and her companions?" An elderly man asked Lhinx. Lhinx nodded.  
  
"Hmm...Well you may want to ask her daughter or son." The man replied.  
  
"Where can I find them?" Lhinx asked.  
  
"I have no idea." The man replied.  
  
"Thank you." Lhinx said, a bit annoyed. The conversation was of no help.

…

"At least the boat ride back will be _much_ more fun than the boat ride here, now that I've got people with me," Serenity commented when they were all on the boat. She plopped onto a crate on one side of the boat and put an elbow on the ledge, resting the side of her head in her hand. She begun to go into her daydream mode again, thinking about Tiger Demons, and unless the others proposed to do something other than sit and wait, then she'd be in the mode for quite a while.

…

Since there was nothing to do, really, Lucine took to wondering around the boat. She went back and forth, inspecting everything. Then she went down the steps to the lower level, which wasn't very exciting. Just a couple of old men playing cards. So she wondered up to the main level and started talking to the captain about the type of machinery used on the boat. Being Al Bhed, she knew a thing or two about machines. Her father was an expert when it came to building machines, and had passed that information down to her.

…

Silver blushed when Lucine called him 'cute' and laughed behind his fangs. Once aboard he threw his ball high in the air and jumped, kicking it real hard. The blitzball flew and slammed against one of the boat's bigger poles, returning to Silver before he could land. "Ahhh!!!" the ball hit him on the stomach, making him fly a few meters, almost falling off the ship. "Yeouch..."

…

"Lady Yuna took the boat to Luca from here last I heard." A woman said to Lhinx. Both stood outside a hut, the woman holding a brightly colored cloth. The woman continued. "She and her husband were both determined to stop whatever they had heard about."  
  
"Was it the ocean?" Lhinx asked.  
  
"Yes, I believe someone said it had to do with the ocean. That's all I know. Maybe you should ask someone who comes off the boat from Luca. They may have heard something."  
  
Lhinx nodded. "Thank you." She said.  
  
(I guess I should watch the docks.)

"We're usually pretty busy around pre-blitzball season." A sailor said to Lhinx. Now she was at the beach, speaking with many of those wandering around. "Lots of youngsters always lookin' for Wakka, Tidus or any of the Aurochs to let them enlist. They come from all around, but usually go to Kilika or Luca."  
  
"But what about towns further away?" Lhinx asked.  
  
"Oh, well lately a lot of boats have been disappearing. Mostly ones coming from Bikanel dock and north from there. The Al Bhed are keeping watch around there in air ships, so anything suspicious usually doesn't escape 'em."  
  
"Usually?"  
  
"Well, don't tell anyone, but I'm not a big fan of the Al Bhed myself. It wouldn't surprise me too much if they had somethin' planned."  
  
"I see. Thank you..." Lhinx said and walked off.  
  
(Okay, I definitely wanna search Luca or ask some of the people coming from there about Lady Yuna. I can take a boat to there and start searching myself. Now where's that boat?)  
  
Lhinx looked out to the ocean, noting a good strong, yet gentle breeze coming toward them.

…

Silver stood up, a little dizzy from the rough landing. "Stupid ball..." He looked around and didn't see it, the black blitzball, a gift from his father. It was a really special ball, several times heavier and harder than a normal one, perfect for him to train. Silver looked all around and then at the sea, catching a glimpse of his ball sailing on the wrong way. "Wait!" He took off his scarf, jumping off the boat and swimming towards his ball. "Come back you!"

…

Calix sat idly on the wood based shores of Besaid, waiting for the next ferry ship to arrive at the shallow and primitive town that he lived in. the cool sea breeze cut through his hair, and constantly burned his tanned skin.  
  
Beside his almost lifeless resting body sat his staff, his only real possession, besides the chipped rock laced around his neck with chain. He had few other things that he would actually claim to be his, and these would be his magical skills, the clothes on his back, and any relations he had with lost animals. The wind slowly picked up as time went on and the end of his coat began whipping in the wind, making a snapping sound as the wind forced it to full extension. His hair was doing the same thing, rather the fact of making the snapping sounds, but it still wound its way behind his shades and causing great annoyance to him as it whisped passed his eyes over and over again.  
  
While removing his shades to clear the trapped strands of hair from its grasp he thought. _Where the hell is that damned ship, I must clear the Al Bhed name, so no more of out kind need to live behind material objects. We should be able to have a life just like any other..._

…

Lucine was at the front of the ship, looking out towards the sea. Not too far away she saw the little island of Besaid. "Hey, look! We're almost there!" She turned around to tell the rest of the group, but as she did, she heard a loud, splash! She ran to the end of the boat and looked over the edge. There was Silver, swimming after his black blitzball that had fallen in the water. "Hey, Silver! You crazy Tiger! Get back here before you drown or something!"

…

(There's the boat!) Lhinx watched the vessel intently as it came within view of those on the beach.

…

Calix looked up as he heard the steady drone of the ferry engine. As his eyesight caught with the horizon, the unsettling glare of the sun off water found its way under his shades, where he shot out his arm to block off the glare. Watching intently like a small child, Calix became anxious, but kept his mind. Standing slowly his leaned on his staff, so it would be easier for him to bring himself into a standing position. _When will that damned boat ever come get here?_ He asked himself furiously as the large floating metal vessel that slowly crept its way into the docks of Besaid.

…

Lhinx awaited the arrival of the boat, hoping she could find some more clues for her quest.  
  
"...Yeah that Ronso is dangerous." Lhinx immediately turned to hear two men talking on the other side of the beach.  
  
"Are you serious, a Ronso attacked the passengers?!" It was the other man.  
  
"Well, we was just havin' some fun and out of no where the Ronso joined in the little scuffle and almost all of use were knocked out."  
  
(Uh oh...) Lhinx thought.

…

Serenity noticed that the group dispersed to do their own things, and felt like she was going to be in her own little world for a long time again. But of course, she was snapped out of it again by the sound of splashing water, and Lucine's voice yelling that they were near Besaid. Serenity quickly got up and ran towards the other side of the boat, ending up beside Lucine. She looked over the edge, too, and saw Besaid. "Oh hey, you're right!" Serenity exclaimed, but noticed Lucine was looking off at the other direction.  
  
Serenity blinked and leaned over the edge some more, dangerously close to falling right over, and saw what she was looking at. Silver had jumped into the water and swam back towards the way they came, chasing after his blitzball. Her eyes widened, surprised that he would do such a thing when the water splashed up against their side of the boat. The water loosened Serenity's grip on the ledge, and her eyes widened even more as she screamed, falling overboard into the water.

…

Lhinx noted the ship and instantly her eyes widened as she witnessed a girl fly overboard with a scream.  
  
(Oh no!) Lhinx thought. (Wait, there's another overboard as well...)


	7. Confrontations: Guado vs Ronso

****

Confrontations: Guado vs. Ronso

Zephyr had been silent for quite some time, and during the trip to Besaid, she had been fiddling with her gun; dismantling a barrel here, greasing some odd little secondary trigger there. She felt quite at home on the ferry, as she was used to a rather utilitarian environment. Steel. Crisp ocean air. Salt water. Ah, but salt was a troublesome thing . . . the wrong electrical charge and you'd be breathing chlorine gas, swallowing poisonous sodium. Zephyr had been a studious child, and knew the laws of chemistry well.  
  
As the boat pulled into the docks, she clipped her gun to her belt once more and glanced out at the shore. On land stood a Ronso, a species of which Zephyr hadn't had the severe displeasure of seeing for years. Sure, the young ones were sometimes open-minded, and the elders were sometimes wise . . . but that was the case with every species, and she knew that the Ronso had an unquenchable hatred for the Guado.  
  
She smiled, in spite of this. It wasn't the Guado who had destroyed the Ronso, in any case. It was **him**. And he wasn't a Guado . . . he was a half Guado, just like she was.  
  
Oh, they had no idea. Just like she was.  
  
With this thought, she stepped onto the railing of the ferry and leapt onto the docks, hiking boots clanking heavily against the wooden surface. She made her way to the place where the Ronso stood - apparently being accused of knocking out several innocent men. Typical. Bloody slow dolts . . .

…

Calix walked to the end of the dock as the ferry arrived at the docks, shifting his weight as the grand moving structure bumped into the small wooden structure that was unbelievably meant to hold the ship...

As he waited for the ferry to set out for where ever it was going, he moved to sit at the edge of the dock, but was knocked over by a spunky half Guado girl. With the force of the girl Calix fell flat onto his back, but was on his feet in less than a few moments, and following the young woman.

…

A young woman had stepped off of the ferry rather quickly and was approaching Lhinx, almost reminding her of the behemoth she had to fight.  
  
(Uh oh...) Lhinx thought.  
  
Lhinx eyed the girl, noting her features looked almost Guado. The Ronso's hair on the back of her neck stood up a bit out of instinct.  
  
(She doesn't look too scary, but then again that smell coming from her...it reminds me of hunters...)  
  
"Yes?" Lhinx asked, or rather demanded of the girl, making sure her teeth could be seen just enough but not noticeably.

…

"It's been a while," Zephyr said softly, noticing the Ronso's gesture of visible fangs. As a similar gesture, she allowed her hand to hover over her gun.  
  
"Tell me," she continued in a distant yet somehow dangerous tone, left hand on her hip, "was it your father that killed my mother's family, in the time of Vegnagun?" The half-Guado's voice rose steadily as she continued, becoming more intense, more frightening. "Was it your mother that drove the summoners away, wishing every Guado to become a fiend, to walk the earth in anger and in jealousy!?" She clenched her right fist over the trigger lock of her gigantic firearm, glaring furiously at the Ronso she had never met before, awaiting her reply.  
  
Zephyr was, as always, a good actress. Her mother, Risa, was an only child. Risa's parents had died on the raid on the Al Bhed Home, in years gone by, fighting in valiant service of he, their lord and protector, the honorable Maester Seymour Guado. They never knew that their Maester exterminated the Ronso.  
  
In truth, her thought processes were much simpler than the complex web of filial love and revenge. There must have been a reason why he wanted them exterminated. There was a reason he wanted them gone, and Zephyr would complete the noble deed of the only lord she would ever answer to, the only man ever to exist that could even begin to comprehend who she was. He knew her pain and pangs of insanity. He had lived through them too.

…

(Great...now I'm gonna start a scene...awe well...)  
  
"If you are angry for Guado and Ronso injustices and wish for fight, I will defend honor of Ronso." Lhinx brought out her lance and stared down at the half Guado.  
  
(Elder forgive me.)  
  
"My father did kill Guado. Elder Kimahri taught me this was wrong. But Lhinx will not back down from fight."  
  
Lhinx bore her teeth and the pupils of her eyes thinned into paper-thin angry black lines. "Guado anger and jealousy not brought on by Ronso, but by Guado hatred," Lhinx said.

…

Calix had been walking behind the Guado mix, but backed off as the two taunted and bore threats towards each other. He didn't want the Ronso to take on the Guado, but he couldn't let down his spirits and stop a well matched fight...As he though about the fact of it being a fair fight he noticed that the Guado had a gun, and that was not at all fair. Even though he knew that it wasn't fair, he couldn't do what he wanted to so he just watched, hoping he would get the chance to make it fair.

…

Zephyr narrowed her eyes. Well, she shouldn't really be surprised that this beast wasn't much for verbal conflict . . . immediately pulling out the weapon. So like them, she thought. So like those simple creatures. Destroy it. It's what your lord would want.  
  
At the very same instant, however, the half-Guado knew that she couldn't kill the Ronso. Not now. Not around Lucine. After she had gained the prestige she would achieve from finding the lost Gullwings . . . after that, she would start her lord's revolution again.  
  
Zephyr knew how to twist the odds in her favor, how to make Lucine see her as more of a victim, more of a . . . hah . . . trustworthy, honest, noble person . . .  
  
And so it was that, apparently not thinking straight, the slight form of a halfling literally charged that of a gigantic Ronso youth. However determined the sprint was, it packed little momentum with it.

…

Calix looked at the two in their mortal stand off, neither doing anything at the moment. Time seemed to move half as fast, as if the planet was cast with Slowga. By the time Calix had morphed his staff into a cane form, so it was easier to rest upon whilst waiting.

…

(She's kidding me...)  
  
Lhinx moved her hand forward and stopped the Guado with a simple, but effective push. The halfling was small and springy, like a Guado and it should've been faster then it was and able to put up more of a fight.  
  
"Get up." Lhinx demanded.  
  
(This is pathetic...She has a gun, why won't she use it? What does she have planned? A knife perhaps?)  
  
"Why pick fight when Guado halfling not even use weapon?" Lhinx asked.

"Because it's stupid to kill people," Zephyr answered, glaring up at Lhinx. Her words were truthful, for once. She stumbled to her feet awkwardly, clenching and unclenching her fists. "Really stupid. I want to make you understand how senseless the deaths of my people were, I want to make you understand while you can still hear me screaming for my grandparents back!" Alright, so the last part was embellished a little. It was all in the interest of good drama.  
  
With that, Zephyr whipped out her gun, loaded it faster than the eye could follow, and shot Lhinx once, twice, three times. The ammunition consisted of bomb fragments, burning hot slices of fiends driven to suicide . . .

…

(Oh my-)  
  
Lhinx let out a semi-loud roar of pain clenching the part of her body where the three shots had been fired.  
  
(It burns...stinking Guado...)  
  
"Guado halfling foolish." Lhinx said as she looked at her opponent. "Lhinx grandparents die at hands of Guado Maester Seymour. Guado halfling fool if think that Lhinx not understand death wrong."  
  
Lhinx swung her poleaxe at the girl, her strength hindered by the intense pain of the fire.

…

As soon as he heard the first shot go off Calix's right arm was up, and the cane extended, knocking the gun out of the woman's hands, not allowing her to cause senseless death. After she was disarmed, Calix was atop her, the staff into cane size and across her chest. His knees were holding her arms down and his face close to hers. "Calm down...." he started then was stopped as he realized the image of the lady he had so swiftly secured, and his cheeks turned rosy red as he blushed. His more shy side of him took over his body now and his grip on her loosened.

…

"Human!" Lhinx roared. "Leave Guado and Ronso business alone!"  
  
Lhinx lifted the human boy by the back of the shirt and with a painful thrust threw him aside. (Man. It hurts...its like Hell...)  
  
Lhinx was breathing harder now, each slight movement hurting.

…

"Someone has an over-inflated sense of justice," Zephyr remarked tersely. She smirked in spite of herself, throwing a sideways glance to her gun before looking back up to the sunglasses of the man on top of her. "If I may know to whom I owe the pleasure?"

…

(Humans...) Lhinx thought in frustration.

Zephyr leapt to her feet and snatched her gun from the dock where it lay, glancing at the interfere a few feet away. "Save it for later," she called with a grin. She was into it now.  
  
"I would thank the human, were I you," she snarled, having turned back to Lhinx. "Your heart is so cold that you can't take a little bit of heat . . ." In spite of her talk, she clipped her gun to her belt. "Be wiser in choosing your battles in the future, Ronso. I could kill you, and that would be a loss for you and I both . . ."  
  
Zephyr turned around and watched the boat for her companions, hand still resting uneasily on her gun. Just in case.

…

Landing onto the sturdy wood that he knew so well as home, the man let out a silent gasp as the wind was knocked out of him. Calix was soon back onto his feet, thinking and looking back and forth between the two who were just in the heat of battle _What a day_… he thought as he wondered about his near future, which he figured were going to end up with the strangers off the ship.

…

(She's good...I am at her mercy and a shot to my pride is way better then actually killing me...Why didn't I see it?)  
  
"Lhinx only grateful Elder not here to see shame..." Lhinx said, hanging her head sadly.  
  
(Wait...what does she mean loss for both of us?)  
  
Lhinx still felt the pangs of the heat and knew well that another two or three shots would do her in. Her breathing was hard and the humiliation did not help.

…

Zephyr glanced back around at the human.  
  
"Your kind doesn't understand ours," she stated simply. "They call me Zephyr," she continued, a strong breeze whipping up at the word, "for I have the strength and drive of a tempest, but am capricious as a tornado . . . owing to my heritage, doubtless."  
  
She pulled her hair down from its sloppy bun. It fell more or less straight, and ridiculously streaked, down to the small of her back. It blew into her eyes in the wind, but she didn't seem to mind. After a moment's thought, she smirked and tugged a lock of hair at the human and the Ronso.  
  
"It's been lovely meeting you both," she said in an oddly sweet voice, the sweet of the nectar of a flytrap or pitcher flower, just waiting for something to get too close . . .

…

Lhinx growled low out of anger, her teeth showing.  
  
(How could I fall for that first trick?)  
  
Lhinx held back the urge to pounce at the girl from behind.  
  
(No, that would be disgraceful. No Ronso attacks from behind. I've already given the Ronso a bad name by fighting her and I can't afford to challenge her again too soon anyways...Wait.... She came from Luca...maybe she...no, I've disgraced my father enough by losing to her. Asking her for assistance would be too hard for him. Father forgive me...)  
  
Lhinx stood up straight and looked down at the human male.  
  
"Thank you." Lhinx said.

…

Calix looked to the Ronso as it addressed him, he nodded and looked oddly at the Guado, talking a few quick steps towards the ship, which he would need to be boarding so he could continue his search for the missing trio. _Well I'm glad I never lost my glasses in that, it might have turned out worse than it is... much worse..._

…

Lhinx looked about, meeting the occasional glance of those who had witnessed the scuffle. Lhinx watched the Guado halfling walk off.  
  
(I know it is wrong to hold the Guado accountable for their past transgressions, but this one...this one's making me wish to change my mind...)

…

Zephyr spoke softly to Calix as he passed by. "We return no grudge that isn't held against us, spiral eyes. Your glasses don't fool me." She said nothing more than that.

…

(What is it now?) Lhinx watched the two beings, hearing the statement but not really seeing its relevance to her own job.

(Right then, on to Luca. I almost forgot why I was here.)

Lhinx walked toward the dock.

…

Calix stopped suddenly as she said this to him " Of all things Guado, of all things in my life of insult. That is the first time I have been called spiral eyes...." The almost charming man stated with the sheer enthusiasm to beat the Guado to the ground.

…

Shocked at Calix's reaction to what Zephyr thought was a harmless phrase, Zephyr looked at him wide-eyed. "You misunderstood me, I only meant to say . . . I meant . . ."  
  
Under the gaze she knew was hiding beneath those glasses, she stumbled backwards and shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to offend."  
  
Here was a race that didn't hold a short-term grudge, or any grudge at all. They were hated because of what made them great, their intellectual curiosity, and their machines. For their greatness, they were despised. The injustice of the Al Bhed situation hit Zephyr like a ton of bricks, and she found herself incapable of looking Calix in the eye.


	8. Overboard

****

Overboard

Silver finally got his ball and smiled widely, looking back at the boat and getting a glimpse of Besaid far, far away. "Damn you..." he growled and started the long swim back. That's when he saw Serenity falling. "DAMN!" He instantly began swimming a lot faster, and since he didn't know how she was he threw his ball towards her, hoping she would use it as something to hold on to. "Wait there!"

…

As Lucine was looking over the edge, she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Serenity falling into the water. "Jeez..." Lucine mumbled as she tried to hold onto Serenity. But her grip wasn't strong enough and Serenity slipped, falling into the ocean.  
  
But by this point, she could see Silver making his way back to the ship. He was doing perfectly fine in the water. And she bet he was strong enough to carry Serenity back as well. "Silver!" She called, waving her hands. "Serenity! She's fallen in the water! Do you think you can rescue her?"

…

Lhinx stepped toward the boat that had just come from Luca, noting a man standing next to the plank headed up to the boat. The man noticed her as well and shivered a bit out of surprise.  
  
"May I help you?" He asked.  
  
"I wish to go to Luca." Lhinx said.  
  
"Have you any Gil?"  
  
Lhinx pulled out a leather pouch, then she noticed the Al Bhed girl talking to someone who was in the water.  
  
(What the devil?) Lhinx wondered.

…

Silver was already swimming back at full speed, even using his tail to go faster. He suddenly went underwater, where he would be able to swim faster without the waves slowing him down. Not much later he got a grip of Serenity's waist and held her on his shoulder, kicking the ball again so it would land on the beach. Once with the girl he made on last effort, the weight of his gunblade and the girl mixed almost pulling him down. "My scarf!" he yelled at Lucine, not wanting to forget it for it was as precious to him as his ball was.

…

(That girl needs help...)  
  
Lhinx jumped past the man she had just spoken to and landed on the deck.  
  
"What wrong?" Lhinx asked as she came to the Al Bhed girl's side quickly.

…

Serenity had swallowed some water in the first few seconds of being in the water, and she flung her arms wildly as she bobbed underwater and back up to the surface. She had only had a few swimming lessons from the resident blitzball team back on Besaid—after all, she was still working on holding her breath underwater. While she managed to stay afloat for a while, she felt water splash towards her, and saw a blitzball had been thrown at her.  
  
"Wait there!" Silver's voice called at her. Serenity looked at the blitzball, and reached for it, though the water's currents were not helping. Trying to keep above water and reaching for the ball proved to be a bit much in Serenity's panicked state, and she took in a huge breath of air before she went underwater again, not resurfacing. But before long she felt arms grip her around the waist, and she was pulled back up. Serenity coughed roughly, and found herself being held on Silver's shoulder. But it seemed like they went at a slow pace. _'Am I…slowing him down?'_ "Silver! You can't…make it! Let me go!"

"Like I'm really going to let go of you!" He replied, holding the girl a little tighter so she won't try to get away. "Hold your breath!" He called and suddenly dove underwater. He went faster, almost reaching the shore already. The got to a spot where he could stand with his head out of the water, but since he was taller than Serenity he didn't let go of her until they on the beach. "Are you ok?" He sounded worried, swimming near a ship in movement wasn't really safe, and the currents were strong.

…

" You may not have meant it, but you said it. I suggest you mind your manners and watch your words. You never know what might get you killed these days," Calix stated then turned from furious to shy and questioning, like he truly was around pretty women. "Why are you and your friends here any way?" He asked almost soundlessly.

…

(Good they're safe...) Lhinx thought calmly.  
  
"Ronso." Lhinx turned around and faced a very angry looking captain. "You have to pay money to ride ships. And I heard about the fight you had on the Zanarkand Ferry."  
  
(Oh no...)

…

Zephyr blinked and looked to the water. " . . . Serenity?" she said softly, hardly realizing she'd said it. "What the hell did I miss?" she cried before dashing back onto the ship and leaning over the railing, eyes wide behind her glasses and wild hair. She noticed that Lhinx was helping Silver and Serenity, which was good. The Ronso wasn't hurt too badly, and she was helping her comrades up.  
  
. . . Hm. What was Lord Seymour thinking, destroying a lot of such useful creatures . . .?

…

As Lucine was watching her two friends struggle in the water, a tall, female Ronso was at her side, asking if she could help. But serenity and Silver had already reached dry land.  
  
She turned around to thank the Ronso, but she was already on the other side of the ship talking to the captain. So she ran over to see if she could help, and heard what the captain had said. "Hey, Ronso, I could pay for your trip across."

"It's not that simple. I'm not gonna let a dangerous Ronso on my ship." The captain said.  
  
"Lhinx defending self. Not kill any people on Ferry."

…

"We're on a manhunt," Zephyr cried to the Al Bhed on the docks as she ran off the boat. She stopped for a moment to talk to him as she passed. "Or rather, a womanhunt. It's kind of weird, listen, I'll tell you more about us once we're sure that Serenity and Silver are alright . . ." With that, she dashed off for the shore, but the place where the pair had washed up was somewhat inaccessible . . . it'd take a little while to get there.

…

"Excuse me, Sir," Lucine said, getting up in the Captain's face, and poking him. "This Ronso looks trustworthy to me. And if you still won't let her on, then I'm willing to pay double for her passage."

"...." Lhinx looked at the girl  
  
(What a nice girl...won't make much difference though.)  
  
"I don't care. I lose my job if I put those who ride on my ship in any danger." The captain said.  
  
"I not hurt any unless they try hurt me." Lhinx snapped back, the hair on the back of her neck raising.  
  
The captain looked the Ronso over, a bit of fear noted in his eyes.

"Hey, hey." She said to the Ronso female. "Don't waste your time on the jerk." Then she pulled the Ronso aside, away from the Captain's hearing. "Hey, if you'd like, you can come with me. We'll only be on the island for another day. Then you can ride back with me. I'm sure the Captain won't give you any trouble then."

…

Serenity nodded but then grabbed her head; the nodding and sudden movement of her head made it hurt. "I…think so." Serenity looked at him, and smiled weakly. "Maybe I should be asking you that." Serenity looked around, and found they had washed up on the hidden cove part of the beach. She let out an exasperated sigh; she wasn't sure if she was ready to start climbing out, walking through the bushes up on the cliff above, or go back into the water to swim around.

…

(What have I got to lose? I guess it would be good to rest.)  
  
Lhinx nodded.  
  
"I not start fight on boat or be trouble." Lhinx said.  
  
(Plus she might know something about Lady Yuna.)

…

"Let's go back to the others," Silver said, smiling at her and kneeling, giving his back to her. "Up you go. It will be a lot faster if we climb it by jumping... that is if you trust me."

…

"Right, righty." Lucine said, hoping off the boat. "Then lets go see if Silver and Serenity are alright." As she walked along, she wondered what Zephyr was up to...

…

Zephyr stopped her run when she reached a dense thicket, which blocked her way to the secluded beach where Serenity and Silver had landed. She peered beyond it and saw a steep, rocky slope before she would finally reach the cove. They were already getting up and beginning to return to the group. Oh well . . . that pair would probably need some help climbing through this bloody obstacle course in any case.  
  
With this in mind, Zephyr began pushing her way through the Besaid jungle and ruins to the cove.

…

Calix was completely dumbfounded as to what to do, so he stayed on the dock where he stood and shifted his sight from one group to another. Where the Ronso was talking to another Al Bhed, and the rest of the people were rushing to help others. He didn't really cared about the others, now that they were on dry land.

…

Lhinx followed the girl.  
  
"What reason for coming to Besaid?" Lhinx asked.  
  
(Might as well try and strike up a conversation I guess.) Lhinx thought.

…

As Zephyr emerged from the dense undergrowth, she tripped on a shard of a long-lost temple and proceeded to somersault through the air, quite ungracefully, to the cove below, where she landed flat on her face.  
  
"Pffft!" The half-Guado spit sand out of her mouth as she sat, then stood up. "I'm really not on top of my game today . . ." she muttered, brushing herself off. She glanced up at the waterlogged pair. "It's gonna be a pain in the ass to climb up that thing," she pointed out. "I thought I'd help you out, since you might be a little tired out from the swim."

…

"Well, if you can keep a secret," Lucine said, teasingly, "We're here to find out about the High Summoner Yuna." She walked along the beach, kicking at random stones. "We thought Wakka and Lulu might know something about her." Soon they were approaching Zephyr who was walking through some shrubs.

(You're kidding me....) Lhinx thought.  
  
"I here for same reason." Lhinx said.  
  
(Wakka! That's his name!)  
  
Lhinx then saw Zephyr.  
  
(Oh no, not her again...)

"Really?" Lucine said, looking up at the Ronso. "Wow, that's a coincidence! And by the way, my name's Lucine, what's yours?"

"Lhinx Ronso." Lhinx said.  
  
(What luck! Maybe I can pull this off after all!)

"Ooo...Lhinxie!" Lucine said laughing. "I'm betting you're from Mt. Gagazet, right? You don't see many Ronso wondering about these days."  
  
As they got closer to the outside of the secret cove, Lucine saw Zephyr disappear over the top. "Oh, great! Is she trying to kill herself?" Lucine ran over towards the cliff and could hear voices from the other side.

…

Serenity smiled at Silver warmly, and went onto his back, clutching him lightly around the neck. "You don't even need to ask," she said to him, before looking at Zephyr, who had landed quite harshly on her face. "Are you…okay? Maybe you need the help," Serenity offered, referring to Silver's help.

…

__

What odd people, Calix thought sparingly. _Why the hell is there this many people in a group, coming to Besaid of all places…_ "This place is a hallow barren sea of wild life and...Nothing, not since Yuna and her friends disappeared..." Calix whispered to himself as the wind grew stronger and stronger in very little amount of time. Now there was not time at all for his hair or coat to slack off, even his chain had began to lift with the wind.

…

(Lhinxie...?)  
  
"Yes, Lhinx from Mt. Gagazet." Lhinx then noted her last statement. "You know Guado?"

…

" . . . Could be," Zephyr admitted begrudgingly. "The Lady isn't smiling on me this afternoon, it's true. In any case . . . just be careful," she said as she started up the rocky precipice. Zephyr had had just about enough being serious for one day. All of the thinking about her mission or Lord Seymour or whatever was starting to hurt her brain.  
  
A party sounded damn good right now. Getting totally blasted, then sleeping for twelve hours. Well . . . if she could pull it off somehow, anyway.

…

Silver kind of felt a little tired from the swimming but knew he could carry both of them on his back, he was strong enough to carry a huge-sized Ronso. "C'mon," he said, smiling a little.

…

"Yeah, I know the Guado…" Lucine said, confused. "You don't know her, do you?"

…

"I'm fine," Zephyr insisted, and continued up the cliff. She wasn't making particularly good time, but she also had no desire whatsoever to be swept off her feet. Zephyr found the "guy carrying girl" stereotype demeaning, and wanted, just once, to haul a 200-pound man out of trouble.

…

(Oh...this is just peachy...)  
  
Lhinx did not wish to recount such a humiliating defeat, but knew that somehow the Guado and the Al Bhed were connected, so the tale was inevitably going to be heard.  
  
"Lhinx and Guado not exactly friends." Lhinx said.

…

"Ok," Silver sighed and clutched to make one big jump, landing on a rock, then another some meters above, and then finally got up. "Stay here, I'm helping our Guado girl" He said to Serenity and laughed and jumped down, holding himself with his tail. "Need some help?"

"Thanks, Silver, but I'm really okay," Zephyr said, giving him a weak smile. She paused for a moment to put her hair back into its sloppy bun, and the odd winds almost immediately let up. "If you really want to carry me up the damn cliff, knock yourself out, but I think I kind of deserve a nice, long struggle to think about how much sand I swallowed just now."

…

Lhinx looked up and saw three figures emerging from...well...somewhere.  
  
(What's going on now?) Lhinx wondered.

…

Silver smiled and grabbed Zephyr's hand and pulled her with all his strength, making her fly high in the air. He jumped to the cliff again and caught the Guado girl before she hit the ground. "There you go."

…

Serenity laughed and nodded as Silver went back down. She wondered why Zephyr had refused the help. _'Probably a independent girl thing,'_ Serenity thought. She hoped no one thought she was a dependent little girl. She felt really light-headed…and was glad that chivalry wasn't dead. _'Oh, but he seemed so tired, too, I hope it was okay…'_ Serenity knew she was going to be finding ways to pay Silver back at this rate, the way she was thinking. She shook her highlighted hair of all the sand, though with her wet hair, it didn't seem to work, causing her earrings to clang together and make noise. Her eyes then glanced around at the other people who stood around there.

…

Zephyr smirked and raised an eyebrow as she landed in Silver's arms. "You really get off on being chivalrous, don't you," she remarked, more of a statement than a question. "Could you put me down, Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome? I'd be quite appreciative if you would," she added in a more serious tone.

…

(...Wish some of the males were that nice on Gagazet...) Lhinx thought as she witnessed the figure catching the Guado girl.  
  
(Awe well...)

…

Silver laughed and dropped the girl, still smiling. "Let's go then," he said, starting to walk as steady as he could, not wanting to show his weariness. His legs ache a little, and he was suddenly aware that he had barely sleep in weeks, since he left Kilika for Zanarkand and back to Luca.

…

(Wait...is that a tail?) Lhinx wondered, watching the three on the cliff like structure. (But his frame and size say he's human. Awe well, looks normal to me. Can't tell some of those humans apart if I wanted to…)

…

Zephyr trudged heavily through the brush, and emerged on the other side face to face with the Ronso. She blinked, somewhat surprised, then smiled. Her fight was gone for today.  
  
"Well, fancy meeting you here," she said casually. "I don't think I ever got your name . . .?"


	9. A Moonlight Song

[To Shinyu: Thanks! I did have large spaces in between different character scenes, but it disappeared after uploading. Even when I tried to change it afterwards it still didn't work! I guess I'll try something different, though it may look a bit odd. I'll try it out this chapter and see if it works! If it does, I'll be fixing up the other chapters. Hope it helps!] ****

A Moonlight Song

Serenity started off after Silver, feeling if they didn't get down to the village soon, she might as well make camp right there. "Am I ever glad to be back home!" Serenity yelled into the treetops.

Silver turned around and met the Ronso just standing there. "Hello," he called and kept walking down to the village. He could heard music, something was happening down there. _That voice..._

…  
  
(Being smug eh? Well alright, I'll play along...) Lhinx thought.  
  
"Lhinx Ronso." Lhinx said, trying to sound gruff like Elder Kimahri.

Lhinx's ears picked up a faint sound, something that she thought was rather lovely.  
  
"Who that?" Lhinx asked curiously.

…

Zephyr blinked, and her ears twitched at the noise. " . . . Strange . . . I can feel the melody drawing me closer." She looked around at the group, who all seemed entranced by the song, and started walking towards it.

…

Tallulah finished her song and was met by claps and cheers from the village people. She bowed and walked to meet her fans. She was wearing her special kimono... one someone special gave her a long time ago. "You liked it?" she asked the people around her.

…

Lhinx headed toward the village, curiosity fueling her steps as well as the thought of the inn she remembered seeing upon her arrival.

Lhinx then heard clapping.  
  
(Strange...I wonder what's going on...) The Ronso wondered.

"It's her!" Silver yelled and started running towards the village, as he knew very well the person that was singing. He hoped Lucine had his scarf as he got closer and finally saw the pretty, purple-haired girl surrounded by people. "Tallulah!" Lhinx walked into the village, Lucine well ahead.

Tallulah turned around and saw a familiar face standing there. A tiger demon wet from ears to toe, but it was him. "Silver Fang," she simply said and smiled at the brown-skinned guy.

Zephyr blinked and continued walking, surveying the scene through cobalt lenses from afar. A songstress and her fans . . . but a songstress with an enchanting voice, and the half-Guado didn't often grant that distinction. Nonetheless, she took her time.  
  
"Sing a lullaby," she muttered with a yawn. "So tired . . ."

…

"It has been a long time, Tallulah" Silver said in a low voice. Long indeed, around three or four years, at the Moonflow. Something Silver wouldn't talk about. He was nervous, so he simply looked at Lucine who had both his scarf and blitzball.

…

Kai walked towards the group. "This is great, so many people maybe I will be able to find something out." After reaching the crowd he scans it for anyone who may have info he is looking for.

…

Serenity ran along with the rest of the group into the village. She looked around, everyone seemingly out to here someone sing from the looks and sounds of it. "Wow, a real songstress…" Serenity whispered to herself. Silver sure seemed to know the lady. Serenity looked around for a place to sit with people she knew, hoping the lady would sing again.

(A songstress? Wow, Elder Kimahri was right. I wonder if she too is looking for Lady Yuna...Almost everyone I'm bumping into is...) Lhinx thought.

…

"Yes…Many years now. How have you been blitzhead? Still with your black blitzball I see," Tallulah giggled, looking at the girl that was carrying that heavy ball. When she handed it to him it looked like she was relieved. "Oh, you kept the scarf!" She was happy when she saw Silver still had it, she thought he had lost it or burned it after what she did to him.

"Yes, I kept it," Silver said, wrapping it across his neck and putting the blitzball on the ground. "Why wouldn't I, it was a gift from the famous Tallulah Moonlight, Spira's number one songstress."

…

As Kai scanned the crowd he noticed a familiar face and one he didn't expect to see. After a second he walks toward the figure. "Well I'm surprised to see you here, Serenity!" Kai says as he walks toward and stopping right next to her. 

…

As Zephyr looked on at Silver and Tallulah, she took a moment to puzzle over human relations. A romantic past had existed here; it was something Guado could sense, just as they could sense death. The unsent were, after all, memories too strong to fade, as was a lost love.  
  
So how was it that two lovers could talk as friends . . .? Zephyr had loved no one in her life, and planned never to be so foolish as to fall in love. The only man who could have understood her was long gone, and even if she had lived then, he would have disregarded her completely in favor of the beautiful Lady Yuna. A gawky half-Guado girl had little to offer any man . . . but that was a good thing. A loveless life led to an unclouded, sharp mind, like a lake so pure that no fish could survive in it. Synthetic. Exacting.  
  
. . .Maybe she wouldn't be happy, but she could get things done.

…

(The inn seems crowded...so much for a peaceful nap.) Lhinx thought. The Ronso eyed the bonfire wearily and headed toward the temple just for something to do.

…

Tallulah blushed and smiled at him, although she could feel some weird tone on his voice. "I'm sorry about what happened. I just wanted to tell you that."

…

Zephyr watched as Lhinx walked towards the temple, and decided that it was a wise move. Too loud. There would be no sleep here, she knew.  
  
She took a moment to remember the island from her last visit, which was a few months ago, and recalled a beautiful place to relax . . . far away, where she wouldn't hear the offensive sounds of the village.  
  
The half-Guado began walking to the overhang at the lagoon to sleep beneath the stars.

…

Serenity looked at the figure that had spoken her name, and her face brightened up. "Kai!" Serenity yelled, and hugged her brother tightly. "Not as surprised as I am to see you here! What are you doing here?"

…

"Don't worry about it," Silver said and smiled. "Oh, almost forgot, these are my friends. The cute girls are Serenity and Lucine. The cute Guado is Zephyr and the Ronso is Lhinx."

…

Within the temple, Lhinx could barely hear a conversation.  
  
"...The chamber of the Fayth? What is wrong with it?" A male voice asked.  
  
"No one dares set foot in there since Vegnagun's time. I just wonder if it might have something to do with Lady Yuna's disappearance." The other voice said. It had an odd accent to it, the accent Lhinx had been hearing from the majority of the people on this island.  
  
"Anything's possible I suppose, but nothing is concrete, Wakka. We can not allow anyone to set foot within the chamber. It's out of the question."  
  
"I think I got a right."  
  
(Sounds interesting.) Lhinx thought. (I hadn't even thought about this. What if the temples had something to do with the disappearance of the Gullwings?)

…

Kai smiled and hugged his sister back. "Probably the same as you. Doing the same thing as you are. Looking for anything to help find Mom and Dad." He releases the hug and steps back.  
  
"Tell me Wakka didn't let you come alone?"

…

"I can guess you, too, are looking for Yuna aren't you?" Tallulah asked, remembering how much Silver liked High Summoner Yuna. "You just couldn't stand without doing nothing."

…

Serenity laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head. "Well, actually, Wakka doesn't even know I left…But!" Serenity pointed a finger at him, "I found some friends during my short stay in Luca." Serenity looked around for them in the crowd. "Well, there's Silver, and Lucine, and Zephyr…then two other that I didn't catch the names of…" She looked back at him and shrugged sheepishly. "Did you…find anything or anyone?"

…

"Wakka, there's a songstress outside, why not take your family and enjoy her singing? Leave the worrying about Lady Yuna to us priests." The first voice said.  
  
"I was her guardian when she was a summoner. I still consider the job my first priority even if she might not need my protection, Zaruk." Wakka snapped.  
  
(Wait, that's Wakka?) Lhinx then stepped even closer into the temple, making sure to find whomever it was talking.  
  
"Wakka, leave or I'll be forced to have you escorted out by our temple guards."  
  
"Temple guards...this place has gone to trash, Zaruk. This temple is an important place to the village, even if we don't follow Yevon's teachings anymore, and now you got guards everywhere harassing anyone who so much as breathes wrong around here. It ain't right!"  
  
"Wakka..."  
  
"I'm goin', I'm goin'. But I'll be back."  
  
Right then a chamber near the steps to the Cloister of Trials opened and a very disgruntled, tan man with semi gray red hair walked out.

"Whoa." The man stopped. "Didn't know anyone was out here. You heard us, didn't you?"  
  
Lhinx nodded.  
  
"Are you Wakka?" Lhinx asked.  
  
"Yep. The one an' only." Wakka grinned a bit. "It's good to see Ronso around here. I'm beginnin' to think our towns are getting too closed off. Did Kimahri send you here?"  
  
Lhinx nodded.  
  
"Elder Kimahri ask Lhinx find Lady Yuna." Lhinx said.  
  
"Hmph... It's good to know Kimahri's doin' his best too. Hey, I gotta a favor to ask ya'."  
  
Lhinx nodded once in acknowledgement.  
  
"Ya' see." Wakka pointed up the stairs. "That door leads to the Cloister of Trials. Get through those and you can get to the Chamber of the Fayth. Can ya' do it?"  
  
"Is it right?" Lhinx asked.

"I doubt that Zaruk's gonna argue widda Ronso."  
  
Lhinx nodded and ran up the stairs.

…

"How could I just do nothing? She saved Spira not once but twice, I cannot abandon her," Silver said. "I'm strong enough to do something to help her, so if I can why not do it?"

…

Kai laughed when Serenity said that Wakka didn't know where she was. "Sister, you are starting to act more like me. And it is good that you have made friends." Kai then looked down, for in his travels he found nothing. "No I haven't found anything or anyone. Its makes angry that no one seems to know anything!"

…

"Well, count me in," Tallulah said, smiling at the demon. "I'm coming with you, can't leave you with so many girls or you will be hard to control." She giggled and walked again into the small stage that was prepared for her. "Come here and sing that song with me again."

…

(Jeez, this thing is simple...Elder Kimahri was right.) Lhinx thought as she walked through the already solved cloister. (I wish I could keep the sphere, but that would be stealing...)  
  
The cloister had not taken but ten minutes, and the Ronso was at the elevator.  
  
(Well here goes nothing…)

…

"I can't," Silver said, almost laughing and blushing bright red at the time "It's too embarrassing..." '_Specially after what happened at the Moonflow..._

…

Serenity smiled at Kai's comment. "Yeah, you're a bad influence, Kai!" She teased him, poking at him lightly. "I'm sure they'll be your friends, too, if I can ever find them in this crowd." She looked at him as he looked down, and Serenity's eyes filled with sadness. "We can't give up, Kai." She poked him again to try and cheer him up.

"My friends and I, we're on a journey! Like mom and dad were before! Please say you'll come with!" She jumped up when she noticed the songstress was going to sing another song. "Oh, you have to come with me when we see Wakka. Make sure he won't have a fit with me, ya?" Serenity giggled at her impersonation of Wakka.

…

Zephyr arrived at the cliffs overlooking the lagoon a few minutes later, and lay down in the long, dew-covered grass with a contented sigh. "If only every night were like this . . ."

…

"Oh come on you blitzhead," Tallulah said, pulling him onstage. "You still remember it don't you?" She grabbed onto the microphone and began singing again.  
  
"Somewhere out there,  
Beneath the pale moonlight,  
Someone's thinking of me,  
And loving me tonight..."

…

Kai laughed at Serenity's impersonation. "Well, if they don't mind me joining then sure I will go with. And of course I will keep Wakka off your back, sis." Since he was suddenly in a better mood since he was going to continue his search with his sister, Kai pokes her back. "For now let's listen to the songstress."

…

Silver smiled slightly as Tallulah began singing, and did sing when Tallulah passed the mic to him.

"Somewhere out there,  
Someone's saying a prayer,  
That we'll find one another,  
In that big somewhere out there.  
  
And even though I know how very far apart we are,  
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star!"

…

Serenity smiled and nodded, sitting down where she was. She looked confused and surprised at the same time when Silver went on stage and began singing, too. "Hey, there's one of my friends! Silver!" Serenity closed her eyes and swayed slowly from side to side. "What a romantic song…" Serenity said, suddenly thinking that Silver and the songstress were together.

"And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby,  
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky!"  
  
Tallulah and Silver looked at each other and then sung the last verse together.

"Somewhere out there,  
If love can see us through,  
Then we'll be together,  
Somewhere out there, out where dreams... come true..." 


	10. Unburied Love

[It worked out great? All righty, then. The other chapters will be fixed up very soon. Oh, and what happened between Tally and Silver…well, the basics of it will be shown in upcoming chapters! But if you're looking for the in depth explanation, you're gonna be waiting a while!] ****

Unburied Love

When the song was over Silver was about to put his mask back on, wanting to hide his eyes. That song was really something that made him sad after what happened between them both. He smiled at Tallulah and walked to the crowd, catching a glimpse of a guy that looked a lot like High Summoner's husband just next to Serenity.

…

Kai sat next to his sister listening to the song and noticed the man who was on stage with the songstress looking directly at him and Serenity. "So is that guy one of your friends you talked about?" Kai says this pointing toward Silver.

Serenity opened her eyes and nodded, just noticing now that Silver was looking at them. "Yeah, that's one of them!" Serenity hoisted herself up and waved her hands in the air to call him over.

…

Lhinx slid her fingers under the door to the chamber and began lifting.  
  
(C'mon, a little more...) Lhinx thought as she felt the door budging. As it went higher, the door seemed to be more willing to open up.  
  
Finally, the Ronso had the door high enough and open to allow herself entrance into the once sacred room. The door slid down immediately, sealing the Ronso in.  
  
(Perfect...) Lhinx thought as she looked away from the door. (Wow...)  
  
The room, aged beyond repair, had been beautiful at one time. The walls were covered with a thin green moss, and small animals skittered all across. In the middle of the room was a large hole where once a Fayth had been.  
  
Lhinx kneeled down and touched the floor with her right hand. She pulled the hand back and sniffed it.  
  
(Nothing fresh...Wakka said this place had not had one person step in... But could they have come through this hole?)  
  
Lhinx looked around the edges of the hole and a glimmer to her right caught her attention. She reached out to it and grabbed. She looked at it and sniffed it in her open palm. The ring was dulled, but the glimmer had come from the precious stone on it.

(Just a ring...probably left here by a summoner ages ago.)  
  
Lhinx pocketed the ring and stood up.  
  
(Maybe Wakka was wrong...)  
  
Lhinx turned around and began to leave, but another unusual sight caught her attention. The Ronso stepped toward the wall and looked it over.  
  
(Scratches...large ones...) Lhinx ran her hand across long, crisscrossed slashes in the stone wall. (There's no moss within these...They're fresh...or recently done...I should go tell the others...)  
  
Lhinx headed to the exit, proceeding to again force the door open, but it instead allowed her out quite easily.

…

Silver walked towards Serenity, smiling and leaving the claps behind for Tallulah. Once there he looked at the guy next to her. "Let me guess, you're the High Summoner's son aren't you? Pleased to meet you, my name is Silver Fang." He offered his hand for the man to take it.

…

Tallulah saw Silver smiling at a girl that looked just like Yuna and suppressed the impulse to make a grumpy face. She was sure Silver liked that girl, which was the reason he felt so embarrassed. Well, after what Tallulah did to him she knew she deserved to be ignored that way. If only...

…

Lhinx exited the temple. (Now where is everybody?) Lhinx wondered, looking around at the gather crowd around the Songstress. The Ronso saw two of the people she had seen earlier at the cliff and walked over to them.

…

Kai watched Silver approach. "You guessed right I am the High summoners son. My names Kai." He said shaking Silvers hand. "Its good to meet one of my sisters new friends."

Serenity smiled when they shook hands, glad it was going so well. "Silver! You were amazing up there! You and the songstress…Very cute together!" Serenity said, wondering why he never mentioned that he had a girlfriend before. "Oh, is it all right with you if Kai comes along, too?"

…

Silver blushed. "My pleasure to meet you and your sister, and my pleasure as well to journey with you two." Silver said, smiling at Serenity, the impulse to put his mask on almost gone, not his tears though. He looked back and saw Tallulah, then waved at her to come closer. _But... she is coming... what if? No..._

…

Tallulah sighed deeply and walked to Silver and his friends. "Hello there," she told the woman, trying to be polite although her feelings almost betrayed her. "My name is Tallulah Moonlight."

Serenity looked to the songstress and bowed slightly. "I'm Serenity. Nice to meet you, Lady Moonlight. I can't believe I'm talking to a real songstress! You have to sign something before we leave the island!" She was in complete awe. This girl was the same age as she was, and was a famous songstress. "You, and Silver, perfect duet! If I may say so…" Serenity added quietly.

…

Kai looked at Tallulah as she walked up, then he turned back to Silver. Kai tried to remember where he saw him before but he couldn't quite place where though. "Do you play blitzball?"

…

"Just Tallulah, please," Tallulah said, smiling kindly. "Well, Silver and I have gone through a lot ever since we were children. He is the responsible for that song, wrote it on the journey we had a long, time ago." Her words were kind, but it was her polite way of telling the girl Silver was hers, so she stayed out of the way.

…

Silver looked down, blushing at Tallulah's words, managing to catch the double meaning in her words and was getting pretty nervous. _Easy, Silver, everything's gonna be alright..._  
  
"Yes, I do," he told Kai, passing him his heavy blitzball. "In fact I'm intending to start a team for those who were born at Zanarkand like me."

Kai got an odd feeling from Tallulah's words. He caught the ball; it was heavier then the normal blitzball but not to heavy. "Hum, interesting. Would there be a spot for one whose father was born in Zanarkand and even played on the team there?" He asked, tired of being stuck on the beach with the Aurochs. After saying that he passed his ball back.

"Of course there is," Silver said. "Your dad was the star player of the Zanarkand Abes. Maybe not many people believe that, but if your mother did, I sure do. In fact, I want the team to be called that."

…

Serenity looked at Tallulah uncertainly, wondering what she was trying to say in between her polite lines. She couldn't fool her. Though Tallulah tried to mask it, she might as well have just said it. But she smiled good-naturedly back to the songstress. "Yeah…it sure seems like you two are close…" Serenity blushed slightly, then bowed again as if to announce her departure.

These two were obviously as close as two people were going to get. Sure, she might have started to develop something for Silver, tends to happen when someone saves your life, but she wasn't going to try and break whatever was still there with those two, would she? _'Of course not...'_

"I…have to go find Wakka…excuse me. Nice meeting you, Tallulah." She squeezed Kai lightly on the arm to tell him that he didn't have to accompany her. With that, Serenity turned and looked around uncertainly as if she never stepped foot on the island, and walked off towards Wakka's hut.

…

Tallulah smiled delighted. Somehow she managed to get her understand. "Silver, I got my own tent outside the temple, I'll be glad if you accompany me," she said, smiling at him. "There are so many things we have to talk about."

…

"I'm sorry, Silver said, shaking his head a little and watching Serenity walk away. "I need to do something…need to practice with my blitzball." He was lying, of course, but being a Demon had that advantage. One would never tell whether a Demon was lying or not. He started walking just in the direction Serenity had gone, then turning to the village entrance so Tallulah wouldn't read his intentions.

…

"Cool then I am in. And my dad was the star of the team and naming it the Zanarkand Abes would make him happy." Kai felt Serenity squeeze his arm. He knew it was her saying that he didn't have to go with her, but he said he would keep Wakka off her back. "I am sorry but you must excuse me it was nice meeting you both but I must go find Wakka with my sister."  
  
He then backed up turned, catching up to his sister. "I told you I would be there to keep Wakka from being crazy."

…

Suddenly Tallulah felt so pissed at Silver as she had only felt once... back at the Moonflow. She tried to smile but failed. She walked away, back to her tent. What was happening? She knew she had done wrong, and had hurt Silver. Was this his way of getting revenge? Or he didn't feel attracted to her anymore… Whatever it was she wouldn't know, but wouldn't give up either. Silver was just such a sweet guy for her to let go. No, she wouldn't make the same mistake she did once.

…

Serenity closed her eyes tightly and shook her head as they neared the hut. "I'm sorry, Kai. You just seemed busy with Silver and I…must've forgotten…" Serenity slowly opened her eyes and looked back at him, smiling. "You're a great brother." She then looked past him, seeing Silver walking away_. 'No, why would he come after me…'_ Serenity looked back at Kai. "Come on, we got to find Wakka!"

Kai looked at Serenity and felt as if she was hiding something. "Well I can't be to great of a brother if I disappear for months without even a word." He then felt dumb for saying that, since he didn't want her being in a sad mood. "Well come on he should be inside and if he isn't then I am sure Lulu will be."

…

Silver made sure Tallulah was no more on sight and walked to where Serenity had gone. _What the hell am I doing? I think I said no more walking after a girl. Although it is hard now. Serenity, Lucine, Tallulah, so many girls around, and being a Tiger Demon isn't helping. I'm still a man..._  
  
He broke his personal talk to make sure nobody could see him. His black clothes were really a great help, as the sun was already hiding on the horizon. He saw Serenity and her brother going inside a hut and fastened his pace. Knocking the side of it softly. "Hello?"

…

Serenity looked down at the ground. Was that his way of cheering her up? Serenity smirked and poked at him again. It was sort of funny, how he tried to help but sometimes made things worse. "Yeah…well, that's why I'm such a great sister! To help pick up your slack!" She laughs. "And if Lulu isn't inside, Vadina should be, right? Or did he leave the island again?" She asked as they entered the hut. They looked around, finding no one, and she turned when there was a knock at the door. "Hello?" Serenity called, inviting the person in.

Kai laughed. "Well you know what I found in our hut earlier..." He pulled out a movie sphere. He hoped that it would help cheer her up. He then hears the knock and watched her walk toward the opening of the hut. "Who is out there, sis?"

…

Silver walked inside the hut, smiling and holding his blitzball in front of his chest. He walked closer to the siblings and fixed a smile at Serenity. "I... I'm sorry. Tallulah was rude to you," he said, walking to her. "I just think she's as confused as I am. Lots happened back then. Well... I... I just hope nothing she said hurt you. I think, we leaving tomorrow, right? She says she is coming over, she looks up at your mother as an inspiration, so she wants to find her. Then... good night..." He left the hut, blushing so much you would say he have been exposed to sunlight for many hours. As he left the village towards the beach his mind wondered. _Ok Silver, it's official. You are the greatest loser in Spira!_

…

Tallulah collapsed on her soft bed inside her tent, not even taking off her kimono. She was tired already, and the sudden mix of emotions made her even more so. She just had time to take off her sandals before falling asleep on her stomach, dreaming about her happy years with Silver.

…

Serenity watched Silver's retreating back until she couldn't see, which wasn't long since the sun had already set. She smiled to herself in the darkness, happy that Silver did come to talk to her after all_. So you're both confused? Then I'll be waiting, and help you through._ She yawned, stretching, and went back into Wakka's hut. "Oh, it was just Silver. Saying that… Tallulah, the songstress, was coming along as well. Apparently mom was an inspiration to her." She plopped onto the couch on the far side of the hut. "So what was it that you found back in our hut, Kai?"

…

The beach was dark save for the silver light of the moon and the stars. Silver unclipped his belt where he had his gunblade and left it on the sand, the started playing with his blitzball, slamming it against a coconut tree. Kicks, punches, even his tail were good for blitzball training. He had the sudden long to play at Luca stadium again, although he still felt a tired. His journey has been really long. From Kilika to Luca and then from Luca on feet all the way to Zanarkand and back. It took him about three or four months. And now that he had the chance to sleep on a soft bed he didn't fall like it.  
  
_Control yourself, you stupid cat...  
_  
Silver caught the heavy ball and fell on his back, the waves gently touching his body as he laid on the sand. He remained there for a while and then stood up, took his gunblade and went into the jungle, where he found a nice tree where to fell asleep.

…  
  
Kai stretched and yawned, watching Serenity walk over and plop down on the couch. "Well I found this movie sphere," He says and pulls it out of one of his pockets and tosses it to Serenity. "I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, so I have no clue what is on it. But it is getting late and Wakka and Lulu aren't here right now. So I think I am gonna go back to our hut and sleep there tonight." He says as he walks out waving to Serenity.

"Oh, and if you are going to stay here tonight have fun when Wakka and Lulu get back." He says this in his joking manner as he walks out and heads to his family's hut.

…

Lhinx found herself in the Besaid Inn on a bed in the back corner. She lay on her back looking up at the roof, pondering her current situation.  
  
(Such a nice place.... Elder Kimahri was right, this place is too good to be true. But we're heading out tomorrow...I wonder how well I will get along with these humans? My speech is poor, so conversation will be lacking...)  
  
Lhinx sat up and rubbed her forehead.  
  
(Things were much easier on Mt. Gagazet. Our speech was the same, so no one thought the other was unintelligent. What will these humans think of me if I do not speak though? Speak only when spoken to, that's it.)

Lhinx's mind flew to the ring in her pocket.  
  
(That's right...) Lhinx pulled out the ring. (Maybe I should give this to one of them...it might be an important clue.... but what could it possibly mean?)

…

In spite of the distance, Zephyr could faintly hear the songstress, and a male voice whose owner she couldn't quite place, sing a love song. One particular set of lines caught her attention, and she spoke them to herself thoughtfully.  
  
"And although I know how very far apart we are,  
It helps to think we may be wishing on the same bright star . . ."  
  
She smirked and watched the stars, brilliant on the backwater island of Besaid, where there was so little ambient light to obscure their radiance. She remembered a song she had written a little while ago . . . she wasn't a songstress herself, but poetry streamed from Zephyr's pen at least as much and as often as bullets were shot from her gun.  
  
Zephyr decided to run it by the songstress in the morning, to see if it was any good. With that thought, she fell asleep as the echoes of applause died away in the lagoon.


	11. A New Day

****

A New Day

When morning came, Zephyr slept on in the tall grass, drenched with midnight dew. She looked peaceful, even pretty in her sleep, which was odd. Usually she acted so . . . strange . . . that her beauty couldn't be recognized even by the sharpest (or bluntest, for that matter) of eyes. She dreamt of something that brought her peace when the waking world could not.

…

Lhinx set foot outside the inn and looked around in the morning light. (Where could everyone else be?) She wondered.

Lhinx walked towards the woods, hoping to find some animal big enough for a decent breakfast. She found herself going along a mountain trail. Her ears twitched a bit, picking up the sound of water.  
  
(There's gotta be something near there.) The Ronso thought and began walking slowly, making sure the pads of her feet met the ground before the rest of her foot.  
  
Slowly she walked like this until she came toward a lagoon. The ground was wet and very cold, much to the Ronso's pleasure. The Ronso hunched down behind close by brush and looked around.  
  
(Is that...?)  
  
The Ronso nearly gasped, seeing the half Guado who had beaten her earlier just lying there, oblivious to what could possibly be a very deadly attack.  
  
(My she looks peaceful, not at all like one who would wield a machina weapon or attempt to burn me alive...Now would be a great chance for revenge...Or instead...)  
  
Lhinx walked over and pulled out a string of linen from her pocket. She carried some just in case she ever was injured. She tore a bit off and dropped near the half Guado's head.  
  
(She should see it when she wakes up. Maybe I should look somewhere else for food.)  
  
Lhinx walked off, leaving footprints in the wet grass.

…

Zephyr awakened shortly, when the sun finally fell into her closed eyes. She kept her peaceful visage, and her smile only widened when she saw the torn linen - a white flag - next to her face.  
  
"Truce accepted," she whispered, stuffing the bandage into a pocket for safekeeping.  
  
Enjoying the beautiful morning, she rose and began to walk back to the village, at her leisure.

…

Calix had found himself in his favorite spot on all of Besaid, the renowned docks, the tide high and the sun slowly rising to the east. The odd Al Bhed had been awake all night, and the day before. He was a nighthawk, mainly because he didn't like talking, but partly because there were some odd creatures that sometimes roamed the lands during the night.  
  
Where he sat on the docks, the tide morning high, his now bare feet soaked in the cool salty water. As he sat with his other possessions around him, and his emitting an elegant tune, devised of a lot of finger movements and, a fairly long song. The song was one of his favorite songs that he made, but a few of the notes were incomplete for the purpose he used them for.  
  
A light breeze caught his hair and whisped through his fingers as he played the quick but soft melody and the unwarning 'Cree from the gulls in the area. The Cree was in response to the music and Calix new this for the song he was playing was labeled 'Gulls Call'. He was good with music, and magic, but when it came to words the man was dumbfounded.  
  
As he played the song over and over in the dew, Calix heard the noises of the town slowly, but surely coming to life. This was it, it was soon time to be heading off to the next city. To look, no, to find lady Yuna, and to clear the name of his people.

…

Zephyr heard a strange tune as she walked by the beach, and ducked between cliffs to see the Al Bhed from the previous day playing a tune on a peculiar electric flute.  
  
" . . . And here we have some music with a purpose," she said under her breath with a smirk. She walked out onto the beach and waved.  
  
"Hey! I never caught your name!"

Calix heard the Guado, shifter his spiral eyes to look at her from underneath his glasses, then turned his head, continuing to play his song. After a few moments he finished the song for a sixth time that morning and placed the Flute in his lap, and turned his gaze to the clear waters below.

" . . . And I guess you're not telling, are you?" Zephyr asked peevishly, hand on her hip. "I did apologize for . . . what I said . . . yesterday. I really didn't mean anything by it. Do you still want to hear about us? About what we're doing here?"

Calix wasn't at all mad at the Guado about 'spiral eyes', well not any more at least. He was just used to his life, how it always had been in Besaid, he would normally speak nothing to any one, just because he had nothing to say to them. He was silent most of his life and the other day was the last time he had spoke in actual sentence for quite a long while.

Zephyr walked closer, eyebrow raised, and sat down in the sand a few feet away from him. "Why won't you talk to me?" she asked, curious but also a bit annoyed at the silent Al Bhed. "I just asked for your name . . ."

"I won't talk... because I don't feel like talking." Calix stated out of the blue, as he looked towards the Guado, just a few feet away "My name is none of your business, and I do not intend on telling you. But what I would like top know is why you and your 'friends' are here..."

Zephyr spoke softly, so that no one would overhear. "We're looking for information about the High Summoner . . . Lucine is Rikku's daughter, and I think Kai and Serenity are Yuna's kids. The whole gang is worried about the Gullwings, so . . . we're looking for them."

Calix looked away from the Guado as she finished speaking, his eyes caught the glimpse of the water as thoughts rushed through his head. _Why the hell does this sound too much like a coincidence? Why are there so many people looking for lady Yuna? Wait... what am I thinking... I can't continue with my search, they will all then find out my intentions, and my life will be a failure... A complete failure. But if I no longer quest for her, then I will fail the same... I must travel on my own and find lady Yuna myself... Yes I must!_ His facial expression changing with each thought.

…

Serenity awoke the next morning to find a blanket had been placed over her overnight. She turned groggily until she was on her side. She wasn't particularly a morning person. Serenity blinked, slowly realizing she must've fallen asleep in Wakka's hut, and they had come back and put a blanket on her. She let out a cry as she felt something poking into her, and pulled out the movie sphere Kai had given her last night.

"Kai hasn't watched it yet…I think I'll save it until we can watch it together," Serenity said to herself, curling the sphere in her hands. She then sat up and stretched, wondering what the sphere contained.  
  
"That's if ya live to see it," a voice said suddenly, scaring her for she screamed. She held out her arms in front of her to fend off any incoming attacks, but felt the softness of a pillow hit her in the head, and a hand reach out and mess up her hair. "Ah, you're still easy to scare, Seren," the soon familiar voice spoke again, and Serenity opened her eyes to see Wakka.  
  
"Wakka! Don't scare me like that!" Serenity said, sounding serious but she was laughing. "But I guess I do deserve that after what I did…" Serenity added.  
  
"Ya, you do! Scaring us like that. You had me really worried, ya? Especially after what's goin' on with your parents." Serenity looked down, but Wakka patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry about them. They're strong, just like you." Serenity smiled, and hugged Wakka tightly. "Thanks, Wakka."

…

Kai awoke in the morning refreshed in his own room for the first time in a long while. Kai looked around his familiar surrounding but got up deciding that he was gonna go check up on Serenity. He walked out of the hut and made his way over to Wakka's hut and overheard Wakka and Serenity talking. "I figured you fell asleep here," Kai says walking into the hut. "Its good to see you again Wakka."

…

Silver awoke when he rolled on his side and fell of the branch he was sleeping on. "Whoa!" He slammed against the ground, and then his blitzball fell on his head. "Not my day..." He stood up and grabbed the ball, walking back to the village. It seemed it was still early for nobody was outside, although he knew he wasn't the only one awake.  
  
_Could she be awake yet?_  
  
Silver shook his head, his ears being able to listen to a conversation inside a hut. A man with a funny way of talking and a woman... a girl.  
  
_That answers it... but it's better if I go first check on Lucine and find the others..._

…

Serenity let go of Wakka, and smiled at Kai. "Yeah! And I got attacked!" She said, hitting Wakka lightly with the pillow he threw at her.  
  
Wakka laughed, scratching the back of his head as he did so. "Yeah, yeah, I get it!" He stood and made his way over to Kai, patting him on the back. "Kai, where ya been? How ya holdin' up? The Aurochs been missing ya tons."

Kai laughed. "Well, I warned you that you would if you fell asleep here." Kai was propelled a little forward from the pat on the back. "Ah well, I have been here and I have been there. Mainly just trying to find out anything about Mom's and Dad's situation." When he says the Aurochs have been missing him he nearly busts out laughing. "Really? Why would they miss the bench warmer? The bench getting cold or something?"

…

(What can I do now…?) Lhinx wondered. (I can't go anywhere without the others...I know where the Guado girl is, or was rather, she has to have awoken. But where are the tiger man, Al Bhed and other girl?)  
  
Lhinx walked towards the village again, seeing Silver walking near a hut. Her ears twitched a bit, hearing what she thought to be the same voice as that Wakka guy that had sent her into the Chamber of the Fayth.  
  
(I should tell him what I found at least.)  
  
The Ronso strolled over and stood near the tiger demon.  
  
"Going in?" She asked.

…

Serenity stuck her tongue out at Kai. She didn't want to admit he was right. Wasn't the sisterly thing to do. She stood up yawning and stretched again, holding onto the sphere. "I'm going to get something to eat," Serenity told them, and walked out of the hut still as groggy as she was when she got up, which was easy to tell, for she almost bumped into the crates that were beside Wakka's hut.  
  
Wakka laughs again, going and sitting down where Serenity was sitting. "Haha, nah, it's nothin' about you warmin' the bench. You good for team morale, ya? Keeps their spirits up." He looked up at him. "You found a new team yet?"

…

Silver was surprised when he saw the Ronso girl behind him. He didn't even hear her. "Yes..." He blushed a little, fixing a smile.

…

Kai just gives Serenity a big smile. "Ok sis, have fun. And I may meet up for a bite to eat as well" He says sticking his tongue out at her mocking her like a big brother should. Then after she walks out he turns to Wakka.

"Actually, I have this guy Silver is working on remaking the Zanarkand Abes. But the thing is only those born in Zanarkand will be on the team and even though I wasn't born there, pops was, so naturally I am on the team." Kai gives Wakka a second to understand what he said even though Wakka had to of known that Kai would have joined another team sooner or later.

"So Wakka, you're gonna have to let the team down gently that they won't have the bench warmer any longer." Kai says this with nothing but fun in his voice showing to Wakka there was no hard feelings about the bench warmer thing.

…

Serenity made her way towards the inn, and waved to the Aurochs team, who stayed in the inn, as she sat down at one of the tables in the front room. She put her arms on the table, then rested her head on her arms. She could hear the innkeeper laughing as he always did when she came waltzing in, saying, "The usual?" Serenity smiled, though the innkeeper couldn't see, and nodded her head.  
  
"The Zanarkand Abes?" Wakka repeated, surprised that someone was thinking of starting it up. He then laughed. "Ah, your father would be proud! I'll let the team down gently. They'll miss you, but they'll have to get used to a cold bench, ya?" Wakka laughed again. "And hey, maybe we can blitz against each other someday."

…

"Ya," Kai laughed. "Dad would be proud. And once a teams together, sure, but don't feel too bad when you guys lose." Kai says this all joking around with Wakka. "Well, Wakka, it was good talking to you again but I am starving so I think I am gonna go get some food." With that Kai walks out and heads toward the inn to fill his belly. "Man I am so hungry!" Kai says as he reaches the inn and walks through the door to see Serenity with her head down on the table. "What are you doing sis? You just woke up?"

…

Silver just saw the brothers into the inn, and decided to go with them. The others would be awake soon, and he already had found the Ronso girl. "Feeling like having some breakfast?" he asked her, smiling as he always did when talking to a Ronso, for only their race treated him like one of them. "I'm just starving, haven't eaten something decent in months."

(Now he's talkin'.)  
  
Lhinx nodded, a small smile on her face.  
  
(Food...I hope they have eggs.)

Silver smiled back and walked towards the inn, knocking the side of it before stepping inside and finding the siblings sitting together. "Good morning," he called. "Had a nice night?"

…

Lhinx followed Silver to the Inn.  
  
(I wonder if it costs money...)  
  
Before entering, the Ronso caught sight of Wakka, the man who had sent her into the chamber of the Fayth the earlier night.  
  
"Wakka." Lhinx said, getting the blitzer's attention.

"Oh, it's you." Wakka said, looking over at Lhinx when she was about to enter the inn.  
  
He strolled over.  
  
"Didja find anythin'?" Wakka asked.  
  
Lhinx nodded and pulled out the same ring she had found within the chamber.  
  
"There claw marks in chamber. Done recently." Lhinx said as she handed the ring over to Wakka.  
  
"Whoa, this is nice. You find this in there, too?"  
  
Lhinx nodded.  
  
"Well, not much to be told by that. The claw marks, however, those are a bit suspicious. You might wanna check other Chambers in other temples."  
  
Lhinx nodded, receiving the ring back from Wakka.  
  
"Now go in an' get some breakfast." Wakka said with a smile. "You guys got a big journey ahead of ya."

…

Silver took a seat in front of Serenity. "How early is it? Lucine and the others aren't wake yet and we are leaving today as far as I'm concerned." He smiled and took the scarf off so it wouldn't have food spilled on it by accident.

…  
  
Lhinx entered the inn and found Silver, Kai and Serenity.  
  
"Where others?" Lhinx asked as she sat down somewhat near them, but at the same time keeping respectful distance.

"Asleep I guess," Silver said. "And that's good, they need all rest they can get. You and me will be fine because we aren't humans but they need more rest." He looked, at Serenity who really looked like she could use another hour of sleep.

(I never really thought about it that way. Okay.)  
  
"We go to Kilika?" Lhinx asked.  
  
(Wakka said to check in all of the chambers. But I heard Kilika is the fire temple...Still, I need to check 'em all. Maybe they can help me.)  
  
"Need to go in temple."

"That would be good, my house is at Kilika. Would be good to visit it and re-stock myself for whatever we need," Silver said, suddenly longing to see his house one last time, because if anything happened, and he was killed then, he would regret it forever.

(Oh, that is convenient. The ferry should stop at Kilika before going on to Luca. Perfect.)  
  
"Where food?" Lhinx asked.  
  
(I am hungry. First things first after all.)

…

Tallulah stretched and yawned as she woke up and jumped out of bed. Her kimono wasn't in the best shape after she had slept with it on all night, so she took it off and put on her purple half-tee and matching sarong, along with her wristbands; A gift from Silver.  
  
She put on her sandals and walked out of her tent, noticing no one was outside yet. Tallulah let out a sigh and walked into the inn, some of the Aurochs had shown her around when she got to the island four days ago. There he found Silver, sitting just in front that girl, Yuna's daughter. Next to her was her brother and just in front the Ronso woman.  
  
"Good morning," she said politely and trying not to sound cold and harsh, to hide her feelings.

…

Lhinx noticed the songstress come in.  
  
(Well she doesn't look too happy.)  
  
Lhinx glanced at Silver.  
  
(I wonder if he noticed. He should be in tune with his animal side, so he should be able to smell her anger.)  
  
"Morning." Lhinx said. "You coming with us?"

…

Serenity merely mumbled something inaudible when Kai asked her if she just woke up. She only lifted her head when she heard someone take a seat in front of her, and looked up to see Silver. She smiled and sat up straight, rubbing her eyes. "I think…it's probably 7:30 in the morning." Serenity noticed him looking at her, and Serenity laughed. "I'm just not a morning person…" she explained. "But some nice cold orange juice should perk me right up!" Serenity moved her gaze to the Ronso and smiled. "Hi! I don't think I got your name. I'm Serenity."  
  
"Ooh, we're going to Kilika? I can't wait!" Serenity smiled inwardly. I wonder what Silver's house is like… "And I, too, would like to visit the temple before we leave. Personal reasons." The innkeeper came to give Serenity her food, which was a Besaid dish that looked like pancakes with orange juice, as Tallulah entered the inn.  
  
"Good morning," Tallulah said, and Serenity smiled warmly and waved. "Good morning. Sleep well?" The innkeeper hand put a hand on his side and looked at the group that had accumulated. "You guys want anything?" he asked them.

…

"I am Lhinx Ronso of the Ronso tribe." Lhinx said.  
  
(My, she does look a lot like Lady Yuna.) Lhinx thought. (Wait...breakfast.)  
  
"Eggs. Big plate." Lhinx said simply.

…

Silver smiled at the innkeeper. "You'll have me happy with a thousand apples for now... or maybe just the same Serenity's having." He smelled the food and his tummy growled, for he was real hungry. When Tallulah walked inside he just smiled and nodded. "Good morning."

…

(A thousand apples? Wow.) Lhinx thought. (I've eaten a side of beef for breakfast once, but I guess I've just been beaten.)  
  
"Should get going quickly. After eat." Lhinx said.

"We'll wait for Lucine and the others," Silver said "Don't worry, the ship doesn't arrive till noon, we have plenty of time." The innkeeper put his plate in front of him and he took his gloves off, revealing his human-tiger claws and started eating as politely as he could. _You can't let your Tiger side out for now..._

…

Tallulah looked at Silver, feeling rather surprised his manners haven't changed in so long. He still tried hard to be polite even when his race was never one that care about things like that. "I'll take just an orange" she told the innkeeper.

…

Lhinx agreed, signifying her answer with a nod. When the plate of eggs arrived in front of her, she was a tad disappointed. She picked the plate up by the edge and allowed the eggs to slide down into her jaws. She set the plate down and swallowed.  
  
"Any more?" Lhinx asked, receiving a nervous nod from the innkeeper. "Bacon too."  
  
Lhinx then turned to look at Tallulah. "I like your singing. It pretty." Lhinx said.

…

Serenity sipped her orange juice, letting out a happy, "Ah," after doing so. "That really hit the spot." She looked back at Lhinx. "Oh, a Ronso! Nice to meet you, Lhinx Ronso. Do you know Kimahri?" Serenity hadn't met Kimahri, but of course had heard of many stories about him. She picked up a fork, and glanced at Silver as he took off his gloves and began eating with his claws. She watched in awe, wondering if it hurt him any to have claws_. He sure eats considerately in front of others._ She smiled to herself before beginning to eat her food.

…

She was amused when the Ronso swallowed the eggs just as if they were water. And she thought Silver ate a lot. "Thank...you" she said, trying to relax her surprised expression. "But I don't think it will ever be as good as Lady Yuna's..." she turned to Serenity "Maybe you should become a songstress too, you got your mother's beauty and voice."


	12. Getting Ready to Depart

****

Getting Ready to Depart

"Elder Kimahri revered by all Ronso. He's like grandfather to Lhinx and all Ronso youth. He send me after Lady Yuna," Lhinx said proudly. "He good leader, but aging."  
  
(I really hope Elder Kimahri's okay.) Lhinx thought as more food was brought to her, two plates of eggs and a large platter of bacon. Another worker set down a large flask of water.  
  
(What service.) Lhinx thought in a pleased tone, proceeding to gulp down the eggs and bacon like she had earlier, taking a drink of water between every few bites.

…

Silver took the fork examining it and trying at the same time to find out how to use it. He managed to do so after some failed attempts and nodded at Serenity. "Thanks." He began eating slowly, careful of not opening his mouth until he had swallowed all and of course of not biting himself with his fangs.

…

"Kimahri Ronso, I heard they wanted to make him a Maester after Kelk Ronso died, but he refused to due to what Yevon did to Yuna" she felt no sympathy for Yevon, nor New Yevon. Silver had make her realize everything was just a bunch of lies, that Yevon wasn't even a good person for he was the one that sent Sin in first place.

…

Serenity looked up at her food to look at Tallulah, and blushed in embarrassment. "Oh, thank you! I never really thought about being a songstress. I don't think I could ever make it. Especially with you and my mother being such fantastic singers." She laughed nervously, and went back to eating.

…

"Ronso do not like Yevon or New Yevon. New Yevon people and tourists stink up Zanarkand. Zanarkand sacred place, now it becoming nothing more than shell of city. Monkeys gone," Lhinx said after swallowing down some water.

…

"I know what you mean, I was born in those ruins. My parents used to be guardians of the city, to not let in anyone who disgraced it." Silver suddenly remembered Isaaru, he had nothing against that guy... but he used to be a Summoner not that long ago and now he guide tourists inside the city.

"I go there many times a year, your kind have always been nice to me." He laughed softly and smiled at Serenity. "Hey, for once Tallulah is right, you can make it. If I could get to be a singer for a short time you can become as good as your mother is."

…

"Not know unless try," Lhinx said. "Can sing for Elder Kimahri, both of you. Elder Kimahri would like see Lady Yuna's children."

…

"What you mean with 'for once'?" Tallulah asked Silver, elbowing him. "Most of the time I'm right, at least I know how to use a fork you blitzhead." Tallulah laughed, but she didn't really feel like it. She was following in the steps of Summoner Yuna, and now that girl could become her rival in another way, not just in love matters.

…

(This is certainly going to be an interesting journey.) Lhinx thought, listening to the encouragement being given to Serenity. (Elder Kimahri will want to see both the son and daughter of Lady Yuna. He'll be so proud.)

…

Serenity felt her face become hot again when Silver said that she might be able to become as good as her mother. She picked up her orange juice and drank it, hoping that the cool liquid would cool her off. "You're right, Lhinx. I'll never know until I try! And I'd love it if I were able to sing for Kimahri! That would be such a great first impression. I really want him to like me."

Serenity was starting to like the idea more and more now that the group talked about it. Finishing her food, Serenity stood and picked up the plate, bringing it over behind the bar to wash it off, ignoring the innkeeper's words to leave it there.

"Elder Kimahri like you because you Lady Yuna's daughter." Lhinx said. "You very nice."  
  
(Elder Kimahri will be pleased. Perhaps the possibility of a visit from Lady Yuna's children will ease his aging heart.) Lhinx thought, finishing her breakfast.

…

Zephyr raised an eyebrow at the Al Bhed as he thought, reading his expressions.  
  
"I can see that you don't want to be bothered," she said carefully, standing up. "We're leaving today . . . just hop on the boat to Kilika if you want to come with us. I'm sure the others would love the company." With that, the half-Guado strode off, alchemist's gun clanking against her hip as she climbed the hill back to the village.  
  
"Waaaake up, everyone," she cried, looking around. "It's a beautiful morning!"

…

(Well she's awake.) Lhinx thought, barely picking up the sound of a certain Guado halfling.  
  
The Ronso was anxious to leave, but at the same time the peace and quiet of Besaid was charming. She would have to come back. And bring Elder Kimahri along. He had to miss this place as well.

…

In search of her comrades, Zephyr stepped into the inn with her early-morning grin. She was, and always had been, a morning person. "Why, hello there, ladies and gentleman," she greeted them, noting the presence of only one male. She sat down close by, and when the innkeeper asked her what she wanted, she replied thusly: "Really big glass of orange juice. I mean, like a quart of it. Ice cold. Thanks," she said as the man walked away with a raised eyebrow. So what? She liked orange juice.  
  
"Sleep well?" she inquired to the general masses. "I know I did. It was a beautiful starscape, last night. Which reminds me," she said, remembering her thoughts of the night before. Zephyr turned to Tallulah with sparkling, curious eyes. "I wrote a song a while ago . . . it's pretty different from what you sing, and I'm sure as hell no songstress, but I was wondering if I could run it by you sometime?"

"Oh, and, um, you can call me Zephyr," she said, realizing she hadn't even introduced herself.  
  
"I recognize you, Tallulah," the halfling said with a smile, accepting the gigantic glass of orange juice set in front of her and taking a hearty gulp. "I stopped in at your concert a month or two ago. I didn't realize it was you last night, I was a little tired, but everything seems a lot clearer in the morning." She took another sip of her juice, and looked at Tallulah straight in the eyes - a little creepy, really. Zephyr's eyes were dark blue, which wasn't too abnormal, but the silvery lines traced around them and their odd depth made them look as if one could fall right into them, if they got too close. This and their uncanny sparkle made them look oddly like the surface of the ocean.

…

She has ambition; I'll give her that.) Lhinx thought as she drank more of the water. The innkeeper had given her a large pitcher.  
  
(I guess he finally realized what a Ronso appetite really is.)

…

Silver smiled at Zephyr and greeted her as he was almost done with his breakfast. "So Lucine the only sleepy head eh?" He looked at Serenity and almost laughed remembering her face a while ago. "Well, I'll go wake her up."  
  
Silver stood up and took his plate to where Serenity took hers, but just leaving it there for he was afraid his claws might break the dishes. He returned to the table and put his gloves on. "Ok, if you are taking any more things with you I suggest you go and pack," he said and laughed as he walked out.

…

(I should just go hunting in the next hour. If I eat enough it should last me for a few days.) Lhinx thought as she stared into the empty bottom of her pitcher.  
  
"Good day for fiends." Lhinx said.  
  
(Fiends love to attack on bright days like this. Stupid travelers are their favorite prey. But I guess we should be fine.)

…

Silver went out when he suddenly realized he didn't know where Lucine was. "Darn..." he said and sighed, deciding to go check at the Temple first. Those buildings usually had guests rooms inside, so maybe she decided to stay there.

…

(Come to think of it, where is Lucine? Did any of us see her last night?) Lhinx wondered.  
  
Lhinx stood up.  
  
"Silver might need help," Lhinx said and walked out of the inn. The Ronso looked around twice before seeing Silver walking towards the temple. The Ronso walked over.  
  
"Lucine in temple?" Lhinx asked.  
  
(That's weird...they won't let anyone in the Chamber of Fayth...why would they let anyone stay? Seem suspicious.)

"I won't know till I check," Silver said. "My nose loses its long range when near the sea. The salty air isn't good for any of my senses." He tried to sniff the air and shook his head. "Nope, all I can smell is the sea and the jungle. Same happens at Kilika, but I'm already used to things there."

…

Tallulah smiled at Zephyr, always pleased people enjoyed her singing. She nodded when the Guado told her about the song. "I shall sing it on my next concert, whenever that is" she said, remembering they all where off to search for Yuna and her friends.

…

"Priest not like people in temple. Something going on there." Lhinx remarked.  
  
(Lucine would most likely be in there.)  
  
"Lucine may be suspicious too." Lhinx continued.

"Lucine no suspicious," Silver said "She is only trying to find her mother, so she is kinda like our leader. I'm following her, I don't care where she takes us." Silver walked up the stone steps of the temple and walked inside. There was no one inside but two priests from New Yevon. He walked up to Lord O'Halan's statue and into the room behind it without paying attention to the priests. No one. Lucine wasn't inside the temple.  
  
_Ok, she could even be at any hut out there..._

…

(I guess I am assuming too much. I guess I can afford to relax a bit.) Lhinx thought and walked from the temple towards the item shop. The Ronso hunched over a bit to get in.

"How may I help you today?" The young woman asked.

"Potions." Lhinx said.

"Ah, going on a journey?" The girl asked as she pulled out several viles.

Lhinx nodded.

"And how many potions will you need?"

"Ten." Lhinx said, pulling out her moneybag and paying the woman.

(You never know.) Lhinx thought.

"Have a good day." The girl said, receiving a nod from the Ronso as she left.

As Lhinx stepped outside, her ears barely picked up someone's yawning in another hut.

(Lucine?)

…

Serenity smiled at Silver as he dropped off his plate and left. She picked it up and cleaned it as well. She noticed Lhinx had left as well, and went back to their table to pick up her dishes to clean them, too. When she was finished, she walked up to Tallulah, Zephyr and Kai, the remaining of the group still in the inn.

"I'm going to visit the temple before we set sail to handle some things. I think the others went as well. Come with if you wish!" Serenity smiled at them before waving, and walked outside, seeing Lhinx leaving the temple as she neared it. I guess Lucine wasn't inside… Serenity entered the temple and waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness inside.

…

Silver was about to leave the temple when he saw Serenity walking inside. "Hello there," he called, smiling. "Lucine wasn't inside, and those Yevonites been looking at me like if I were a fiend." He growled under his breath and made both priests hide behind a statue. "Well, being a scary creature has it privileges, I can scare coward priests," he laughed.

…

Lhinx sniffed the air around the hut directly in front of the item shop. She knocked on the side and looked in.  
  
Lucine was asleep inside on a cot.  
  
(There she is. But whose hut is this?) Lhinx wondered.  
  
The Ronso stepped inside and towards the Al Bhed. Lhinx then poked the girl's temple once.  
  
"Lucine wake up." Lhinx said. "Breakfast."  
  
The Ronso poked the girl again, who replied by rolling over and mumbling "five more minutes".  
  
(What should I do? Awe well, we know where she is, so that'll do.)  
  
The Ronso left the hut and ventured toward the inn. Before entering, she remembered Silver had gone to the temple looking for her.  
  
(Should I go tell him first or the others? Ah, his nose should be able to pick her scent up at the hut. I'll just tell the others.)

Lhinx stepped inside and nearly bumped into a priest. The priest turned around and had a nasty look on his face.  
  
"Watch where you're going Ronso." The priest said.  
  
(It's him! Zaruk!) Lhinx thought.  
  
"Lhinx sorry." Lhinx said, bowing her head a bit.

…

"I'll sing it for you once we get on our way to Kilika," Zephyr said, somehow managing to polish off the glass of acidic orange liquid before her in one gulp. "That is, if you're not too busy," she added, remembering the male voice that she had heard the night before, in perfect harmony with Tallulah's.  
  
With that, she rose from her seat and smiled. "I'll be waiting for everyone at the docks," she said. "I have someone to talk to there." Zephyr left the inn and began to jog back to the docks, where she left Calix.

…

Kai ate what was left of the food on his plate and watched his sister leave the inn to go to the temple. He then stood and quietly walked over to the place where you put the plates and put them there. After that he walks out of the inn and went to the square to take one last look at Besaid before he leaves with the others.

…

Lhinx sat down to join the others.  
  
"Lucine sleeping." Lhinx said. "Is okay."  
  
(I'm anxious to leave pretty soon. It's only a matter of time before those priests figure out I got into the cloister of trials.)

…

Calix sat patiently, the same thoughts rushing through his head as he looked for a tune to express his self, but also fit the time of day and the cheery atmosphere of the small sea town he was about to leave. Finally he thought of a song that he had heard in his younger years, it was originally composed by his mother who he was separated from when he was drug to Besaid with his father. The tune was called 'the shadows of a morning sun' although the name seemed to be dark and dreary it was actually a high upbeat song. His mother had the song played when his parents joined in unity, but hasn't played it since his father took him and all the two's possessions and left to Besaid, so he could join the Aurochs. Calix had inhabited his father's natural ability to play the game, but has since then improved his skill with his dark magic abilities.  
  
Within a few minutes of choosing his song Calix was deep into the melody, swishing his feet in the water with a giddy joy, just to listen to the magnificent piece once again gave him great joy, and lightened his spirits about leaving his town so soon after arrival. Even though the song excited him, it saddened him more, because he hadn't seen his mother in over twelve years...not since the last time his father was in a Blitz tournament. Because the song brought down his high attitude, he became more anxious to leave the island.

…

Zephyr arrived on the beach shortly, and immediately heard the melody. However beautiful a voice Tallulah had, it was just a voice. Anyone could sing, and most people could carry a tune; it took real skill to play an instrument, though, especially one like that. The Guado had become very connected to the musical world after the time of Vegnagun. All of Spira had been brought together by song twice now, and there was no firmer believer in the power of music than Zephyr.  
  
She didn't interrupt him, but stayed a distance away and out of his sight, swaying gently to the perky tune he played.

…

Tallulah finished her breakfast and left her plate with the rest of the dishes, walking out and towards her tent to get everything settled. "I'm gonna need to leave some things behind, I'll let the temple take care of them" she took her kimono and folded it with smooth care, placing it inside her bag along with some personal items. Finally, her staff, one that looked exactly like that one Lady Yuna had.

…

Calix sensed that the Guado was close, and listening to his music, and was deeply saddened, so he slowly stopped his tune and laid on his back, his arms spread wide, and the flute still in his hands.  
  
"...Hey... "

…

"I go wake Lucine up." Lhinx said and got up, exiting the inn.  
  
She walked over to the hut across from the item shop and walked in. The Ronso stepped over to Lucine again and poked the girl in the shoulder.  
  
"We need to leave soon." Lhinx said. "Wake up."  
  
Lucine budged a bit, but not much.  
  
Lhinx then put one hand on the girl's arm that faced her and shook her a bit.  
  
"Huh..." Lucine stirred a bit, blinking her eyes a few times and then leaving them opened. "Oh, Lhinx, hello."  
  
"You awake, good." Lhinx said.  
  
"What time is it?" Lucine asked.  
  
"Near afternoon. Boat leaves at noon." Lhinx said.

…

"You really don't like me, do you?" Zephyr noted, raising an eyebrow at his prone form and his sad, almost exasperated expression. "I'm guessing you won't come with us, right?"


	13. The Monster within Besaid Temple

****

The Monster within Besaid Temple

Silver walked out of the temple and threw his blitzball in the air, beginning to dominate it with his head. "Up... up... up..." He concentrated to not let the ball fall, even when walking down the stone steps. "How I need to play a match. After we find them I'm asking your father to play against me," he told Serenity, holding the ball still on top of his head.

…

Tallulah walked out of her tent with her bag on her back and staff on hand. Tallulah saw Silver playing with his ball and Yuna's daughter after him, what a surprise. He was just a ladiesman, always had been. Many girls around Spira would kill just to pet his ears and tail. "Are we leaving now?" she asked once she got close enough to them.

…

"I.. really have nothing against you.... I'm just.... well, it's too hard to explain... And about coming with you.... I will tag along till Kilika, and maybe a bit further."  
Calix sighed, looking up at the Guado girl from feet to head, and upside down.

__

She looks a lot worse like this... He thought subconsciously. _But there is... a slightly better view..._

…

Kai walked back to his family's hut to gather what he would need to take with him on their journey. "I can't wait to leave, because the sooner we leave the sooner we find Mom and the others." He entered the hut and walked to his room, taking a bag and killing with clothes and things. Then he walked into his parent's room and walked over to the wall, pulling Tidus' sword, the Brotherhood, off, and heads back out of the hut with sword in hand.

…

"We should get everyone else together before leaving." Lucine said, still a bit drowsy.  
  
"Zephyr go to dock. Silver and Serenity in Temple. Others at inn." Lhinx said.

"Well actually..." Lucine pointed toward where a black blitzball was flying around. The Al Bhed ran over to them and Lhinx looked around.  
  
(Everything seems okay.) The Ronso thought as she soon followed Lucine over.  
  
"It is near noon, we should go." Lhinx said.

…

"Well, alrighty then," Zephyr said enthusiastically. "We can just wait for others, then. They should be coming pretty soon." Zephyr smirked and rested her hands on her slim, rather boyish hips. "I think everyone here has things they're hiding, you know," she mused in a quiet tone. "I sure as hell do. We're all here for the same, reason, though. . . and what other than fate could have brought us together like this?"

…

"Roger!" Silver caught his ball and smiled as he saw Kai walking about of his hut. Then he turned to Serenity. "You're not taking anything else?"

…

"Faith…" Calix stated lowly. That was the only word he said. He had the strange urge to go for a swim, but resisted. He was far too tired to go swimming. He just wanted to rest, not sleep, but rest.

Zephyr took a moment to study him, then shook her head. "Come on, we're boarding the ship now," she said, noticing her comrades gathering near the docks. "You look tired. . . I have something that could help with that, if you want it," she added as she walked towards the ship. She bought a ticket for passage to Kilika with one of her strange, rusted coins, then strode onto the ferry, looking out over the vast sea.

…

Kai noticed Silver and Serenity, and walked over to them, carrying his stuff. "So when do we leave?" He asked Silver.

…

Serenity looked at Kai, who had walked out of their hut and was ready to go, like much of the rest of the group.  
  
"You not taking anything else?" Silver asked her, and Serenity realized she wasn't even carrying anything. She laughed and started walking backwards towards their hut. "I'll be right back! Meet you guys at the docks!"

Kai nodded at Serenity. "Got it, sis," he said, and made his way to the dock.

…

"You guys go ahead, I'll catch you up as soon as Serenity is ready," Silver said as he looked at Tallulah and then at the others. "Zephyr must be waiting for us there, so better if you hurry, we're right after you."

…

"I go to dock." Lhinx said.  
  
(The sooner I'm outta here, the better.) The Ronso thought as she ran towards the exit, down the path and toward the beach.  
  
(Now...) Lhinx looked around the beach, catching sight of Zephyr and the human who had tried to help her in the fight.  
  
The Ronso walked over to the pier, when a hand landed on her arm.  
  
"Hey Ronso." The gravelly voice said almost threateningly.  
  
Lhinx turned to her side to see about three or four men who looked way to happy with themselves.  
  
"Yeah, that's the one." A front man said. "Ronso, we're gonna beat the ever living crap outta you."  
  
"Really?" Lhinx asked, looking down at them with an annoyed expression.  
  
"Yeah really. You made us look like idiots on that ferry." One of the men from the back said.

"You not need help." Lhinx said.  
  
"What did you say?!"  
  
The man leaped at her, only to miss when the Ronso stepped aside. Lhinx then grabbed the man by the back of his shirt and shook him really hard for a while.  
  
"Put me down!" The man begged. "Put me down!"  
  
Another man began charging at Lhinx, only to have his comrade thrown right at him into the gut. The other two had circled around and one had managed to jump onto Lhinx's back, putting the Ronso into a strangle hold while the other punched her in the gut.  
  
Lhinx's paws clenched the strangler's arm and sunk their claws in, making the man yell out in pain and release his grip. The man who had been punching the Ronso now had a look of deep terror in his eyes as he looked up at the towering Ronso who's teeth and claws were out and ready.  
  
"Lhinx should tear you limb from limb." Lhinx said in a deep low growl like tone.

…

Calix slowly sat up, taking his time to place his flute in its proper holster in his staff, and used his staff to pull himself up. After he was standing, Calix made his way onto the ship replying to the girl, who most likely was out of earshot by now. "Nah I'll just rest, potions don't much do it for me." Actually he was more talking to himself in a low voice, because he knew the Guado couldn't hear him.

…

Serenity hastily entered their hut, picking up a stray bag in the corner and packing it up with anything she thought they'd need. She took one last look at the sphere Kai had given her, and put it in the bag as delicately as she could. Grabbing her mother's Twin Bees off the table, she sadly looked around the room as if she'd never see it again, taking in every detail. With that, Serenity left the hut, surprised Silver was still there waiting for her.  
  
"Silver…what are you still doing here?" She asked curiously, walking in the opposite way of the docks towards the temple once again. She wasn't able to do what she had wanted to do before, with the priests guarding everything. But she wasn't going to back down now.  
  
As Serenity quietly made her way towards the stairs leading to the chamber of Fayth, the priests saw her and stepped in the way, blocking the path. "Halt! Something suspicious has been found inside. No one is supposed to enter. Especially you, Lady Serenity."  
  
"Look…I don't know if…I'll ever see this place again. So I just want to see it one last time. Please," Serenity pleaded with the Yevon priest. The priests looked at each other before stepping away from the stairs leading into the chamber of the Fayth, eyeing Silver. "Please be careful Lady Serenity," they said as they bowed, doing the Yevon sign. Serenity bowed and did the sign as well, before ascending up the flight of stairs.  
  
"I'm sorry for dragging you back here again, Silver," Serenity said as they walked. "I know how they were staring at you. But…I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to this place. I hope you understand." As they came across the door leading inside the chamber, she found it was closed. Keeping in her sigh of frustration, Serenity put down her bag and began opening the door with all she had.

…

Zephyr turned to the sound of commotion, which was a natural attraction to her. As she did so, she saw Lhinx in the middle of a veritable mob of angry men.  
  
"Lhinx, you alright over there?" she called, knowing that she was. It was better, though, to ask, to make sure she was keeping the peace.

…

Silver simply smiled and moved closer to the locked door, suddenly kicking it and kneeling then to make it go up. "Here you go, now we can go in," he said, still smiling. Maybe he was in a mistake by using his strength that way. But was the only way he had to solve this kind of situations. Never been able to get along with Yevon stuff he didn't care about making mistakes with them.

…

Lhinx looked over to Zephyr and nodded.  
  
"Do not bother Lhinx again." Lhinx said to the cowering man before her. She stepped over the two she had taken care of previously and toward the end of the pier.  
  
(Stupid little humans...) Lhinx thought as she paid the ticket man and boarded the ship going to Kilika.

…

Serenity smiled brightly and picked up her bag. "Thanks! Figures a kick would do the trick," she added, laughing. Serenity looked around the room as she passed through the door, watching where she stepped so she wouldn't squish any of the little critters that were scurrying all across the floor. Her eyes traveled over the moss-covered walls then she kneeled down in front of the hole that lay in the middle of the room.  
  
"I've never seen this place look like such a dump before…" Serenity said absently. "Mom would be so sad…everything started here for her. I just thought…coming here would give us some sort of sign…or some much needed luck." Serenity sighed. She felt Valefor, her summon monster, pulsing within her, feeding off the energy of where it was used to be. "We'll find you guys, mom. I promise."

…

Calix moved to the stern of the boat and sat with his back to the railing, found his flute and began to do what he did best, played music. Now rather than a up beat, or sad song Calix began to play a soft low energy song that calmed and soothed the ferrymen, and others abroad the vessel. The song was named "Wave over Wave" and was a very catchy tune, but not to forcing.

…

Silver walked after Serenity and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, we are going to find you mother and everyone else," he said, trying to cheer up the girl. "Don't you worry, both your mom and dad are really strong. I heard from Lady Yuna herself long ago that it was thanks to your father Sin had been finally defeated, and it was your mother who took Vegnagun down. I bet they are doing fine, we'll just find them and come back here and have a big party." He laughed.

Serenity laughed and nodded, closing her eyes and wiping them. "I'm sorry for being and sounding all depressed and sad. You're right! We'll find them all and throw the biggest party Spira's seen yet! And we can all sing and dance and have a thousand apples." She looked up at him, smiling. "Let's get going before the others leave without us." Standing up, Serenity brushed herself off. "I wonder what was so dangerous about coming in here…" Serenity wondered aloud, not noticing the fresh scratches on the wall as she walked through the door. "Hey, what was it exactly my mom said to you when you met her that makes you like her so?"

Silver laughed at the thought of eating a thousand apples. He did it once... and due to the sugar overrun he couldn't sleep in days. "Well... besides my parents she was the first person that actually talked nice to me," he said. "We lived at Zanarkand, in a tent, when she went there one day with her husband. I went over to her and asked her to sign my blitzball. I remember she took it and almost fell, she didn't expect it to be that heavy. She... laughed and signed it, then your dad did too. She scratched my ears and said they were cute. I think she had never seen anyone like me before..."  
  
He became quiet suddenly, a weird smell getting to his nose. "Something's not right here... it smells like ash..."

Serenity laughed, putting her hands atop her head again. "Oh, that's really sweet, Silver. I'm going to have to see your blitzball up close one of the days. Just hope I don't fall over, too." She stopped and turned around to look at him when he became silent. "Ash?" Serenity tried sniffing the air. "Why on earth would they burn something in here…? It wouldn't be the lanterns, that ash must've disappeared ages ago it hasn't been lit in so long…" She walked closer to him. "Where's it coming from?"

"Here," he said. "No, it's not lanterns. It smells like flesh as well, like... WATCH OUT!" Silver pushed Serenity aside and punched a huge, sphere-shaped rock that flew towards them and broke it into pieces. A second later he draw his gunblade and ran out of the Chamber and into the 'Waiting room-like' hall where Guardians used to wait for the Summoners to go out. There it was, hanging from the roof. Their attacker.


	14. The Unknown Half Fiend

[Eeee, very sorry for not updating for a while. I've been working on my other story…but I'm mad with that one because the stupid disk lost my chapter…But anyway, I'm back on this one for a little while lol Thanks a lot, Shadowsin!]

****

The Unknown Half-Fiend

"Flesh?" Serenity repeated, disgusted, before Silver had pushed her aside. She tripped over a loose rock and fell harshly onto the floor. She shook her head, a bit disoriented, and looked to see Silver running out into the other hall. "Silver!" Serenity yelled, and pushed herself up to run after him.

The humanoid beast jumped down from where it was. Four arms, all of them strong and powerful. The face was no human; it would fit a reptile better. He was taller than Silver, and broader. He saw a large chain with a spiky ball being held from its neck, as a long tail shaped like the sting of a scorpion waved behind him. "You that know it all..." Silver began, "... do you know what the heck could that thing be?" He got his gunblade ready, standing in front of Serenity as he put on his mask once again. Not only did it look cool but also it was protection for the eyes for it was made of a light but resistant metal.

Serenity looked at the beast in horror. "What are you saying? I don't know it all! You've been on Spira longer than me!" Serenity blinked, taking in its features. "Maybe it's just a stray fiend?" She offered, hoping. "Or a experiment gone really wrong!" She said, throwing away the previous idea. "In either case, what's it doing in a temple?"

…

"It's a beautiful song," Zephyr said softly from a few feet away, where she was playing around with her gun, fine-tuning it. She squinted through her cobalt lenses at the triggers and barrels and catches, attempting to find just the right amount of oil to put here, the exact number of turns for a certain screw.

"Well...It's something I picked up from my mother, like most of my musical skills…It's called 'Wave over Wave'," Calix stated as he paused from the playing, then once finished he began to play again, but softly, so it was easy to hear the Guado's reply.

Zephyr chuckled slightly; given the context, she couldn't help it. "I picked up my demolition skills from my mother," she said, peering through the sight of her gun. "Not as romantic as musical ability, unfortunately," she added as she polished the cobalt lenses of her glasses. "Hey . . ." she said after a moment. "I won't interrupt anymore . . . I like just listening." The song, like her dreams, brought Zephyr a rare moment of peace.

Calix continued to play the song until the verse was over then he stopped. "Any requests?" He asked sheepishly, then sat back relaxing, his right hand still holding the flute on his lap.

The halfling took a moment to think, then glanced at him curiously. "If I sang a song …could you play the melody?"

"Well, I could, if I got the timing from you. It may not be right but I could try..." He answered, not to sure of his ability to do what he asked, but none the less he wouldn't let her down. This was the least he could have done to repay for his rude actions earlier... then he remembered. " Oh and by the way I'm sorry, my name is Calix..."

…

Kai was on the beach waiting for Silver and Serenity; it was taking longer then it should of. "They should be here by now, what is keeping them?" Kai couldn't help but worry about his sister right now till they find their parents she was the only family he had left.

…

"Calix . . ." she said, tasting the world, feeling its sound roll off of her tongue. "Interesting name," Zephyr noted. "Um . . . I wrote a song a while ago . . . I'm not a great singer, but . . . here it goes." The halfling's voice, while not especially remarkable, was clear and pleasantly alto. The tune to which she sang was in an odd mode, neither major nor minor.

"Do you see that bright star,  
Twinkling from on high,  
While I, a lowly comet,  
Am streaking through the sky?

Though now I shine so prettily,  
I will not last the night,  
But that shining, perfect star  
Will always give its light.I am falling, oh so quickly,  
As I sob my tears of fire,  
I am murdered by my emptiness  
And tortured by desire.So catch me, star, catch me,  
As plummet down I do,  
And know that, through my anguish,  
I am in love with you.As my last hour draws closer,  
I understand my plight,

For who could love a comet

That will not last the night?"

Calix sat and watched the girl, until the third line, where he picked up the tune, well slightly caught on. It sounded better with the music covering up the scrapes in the Guado's voice, but it was nothing against her singing. By the time they had made it to the last 5 phrases there had been a crowd growing. By the time the two had finished the crowd was cheering for more "Umm, well..." Calix then looked at Zephyr. "Do you know any other songs?"

Zephyr blinked, thoroughly confused. "What's going on? There's a real songstress on this boat, I mean . . . it doesn't make sense . . ." Regardless of this, she shrugged it off. "I know another one." She launched into another tune, longer. It was in major, but had a strange, dark undertone. This one, it was clear, Zephyr didn't write. She sang it much better, and one can always sing a song better if it has nothing to do with them.

"I see you're back, sweet sailor,  
Was your family worried about you?  
Did your daughters cry  
And your sons ask why  
Papa had to leave again? I know they didn't  
'Cause I followed you back,  
As a whisper on the wind  
Or a wolf in the pack . . .

I saw their wide eyes, sweet sailor,  
Your wife wondered, have you been okay?  
Shook her fire-crowned head  
Asked whatever happened to the red  
In your cheeks? You just realized again  
Because I took it from you,

You have no home back there  
I'm sorry, it's true . . . I wanna take you to my island,  
I'll hush the howling waves for you,  
The rocks will turn their malice away from you,  
If I tell them to,  
And could you keep me company  
Just for a day or two  
If I asked you to?

It gets so lonely out here . . .

You're a sail on the horizon, sweet sailor,  
Didn't you know all currents lead to me?  
Every moment you're closer,  
Will you be mine to hold here  
Warmed by downy wings? You just realized again,  
Because my eyes shone from above you,  
You have no home back there,  
I'm sorry, I love you . . ."

…

Kai put his pack down and began practicing his swordmanship while waiting for Silver and Serenity. "Man, if that girl has gotten into trouble I will never let her out of my sight again," Kai says, but since Silver is with her, he feels she will be safe…but that wasn't the point.

…

(What's taking so long?) The Ronso wondered, watching the point where anyone coming from the village would step onto the beach. (I went in that temple and out quickly. They might've run into trouble from the priest though. But Silver could easily scare them into submission and Serenity is very important to them. So any human would not stop them. Unless...unless there was something there...but why did it not attack me if there was anything there?)

Lhinx looked to the ocean and back at the entrance to the beach. (Or I could just be imagining things. I'm too paranoid for my own good I suppose.) The Ronso relaxed on the boat, the sight and sound of the Guado halfling and the human making some music catching her attention. (Not exactly Ronso music...but it does sound nice....) Lhinx sat down on the deck and leaned against one of the guardrails.

…

"I don't know what it is but it isn't getting out of the temple alive," Silver said, taking one step forward. "I want you to go into the Chamber, when I call you'll takes the chance to run outside, I'll deal with this beast." With that he took off, charging towards the fiend and tried to slash, but it jumped once again and tried to strike Silver with its sting. "Damn he is fast!"

More like he's not getting out of the temple alive. Serenity shook her head angrily, standing at the top of the flight of stairs. "I want you to juggle apples but it's not like that's going to happen, is it?" She yelled at him. "I am not running away. I am not leaving you here, and you are not fighting this thing alone." Serenity grabbed hold of the Twin Bees and went into a fighting stance. "I'll distract, you attack."

…

Before Zephyr finished the first phrase Calix had begun playing. This song was one of the songs he knew fairly well, coming from Kilika there were lots of sailors, so one of them taught him this song long ago.

…

Another try and again Silver managed to avoid being striked. "Serenity, you have to get out!" He jumped back and next to her. "Most likely you run out and I'll catch up with you," he said, lifting his ball that was on the floor using his feet and kicking it. The ball hit the beast right in between the eyes and made him fall. That moment Silver striked and sliced off one of its arms. "BINGO!" The monster roared in pain as Silver stood grinning, showing off his fangs.

"Why are you so stubborn!" Serenity whispered under her breath, and she waited for the right time to run it across. The time came when Silver had hit the fiend with his ball and went to slice its arm off. Serenity took off, making it to the other side of the room safely, which lead to the elevator up to the Cloister of Trials on the floor above. She took one last look at Silver, who stood grinning after attacking the horrifying monster, baring his fangs. It was as if Serenity didn't even know who Silver was at the moment.

How can you enjoy it so much…? Serenity thought to herself, before closing her eyes and turning away, tediously making her way to the elevator. "Even you need help sometimes," Serenity said to herself, her tone filled with both sadness and anger.

"Awww, you want your arm back?" Silver mocked, taking the arm from the floor and moving it teasingly in front the monster. "You must take a bath more often." He threw the arm away and charged again, the monster trying to bite him this time. Silver grinned once again and jumped on its head, just to be knocked by the chain. "Aghh!" He fell on the ground, his gunblade rolling away from him. "Damn, I forgot about that!"

Silver stood up, the monster standing between him and his weapon. "You leave me no choice..." He took his gloves off and scarf, showing off his fangs and claws. He really looked like a beast himself at that moment, his animal instinct coming out. The monster attacked again with the spiky ball and chain but Silver jumped and rolled on the ground. Silver's claws ripped another of the beast's arms off. He made a low roll kick and made it fell, then his fangs sank on the monster's neck and that was the end of it.

Silver spat the horrible tasting blood and tried to clean himself using his gloves as he put them one, along with the scarf. "You sure were tough, I'll give you that," he told the dead monster at the same times he was taking his gunblade and blitzball. Walking slowly he left the Chamber and got on the lift, appearing on the surface just a few moments later. "There is a fiend on the Chamber, I've already taken care of him," he told one of the priests.

Serenity was leaning against one of the statues as Silver came in and told one of the priests that he had destroyed the fiend that was inside the Chamber of the Fayth. Relieved that he was all right, though still genuinely angry, Serenity stood up straight and uncrossed her arms. "Ready, are you?" She asked bluntly, and without waiting for a response, she left the temple and to the docks. Though Serenity acted differently and more outgoing than her mother, she still shared some personality traits. Serenity sometimes gets easily angry if someone annoys her, as her mother, and right now that someone was Silver.

No hero's welcome for me then... Silver could smell the angry mood of Serenity's, and simply sighed, catching up with her. "That wasn't too bad, but I've never seen anything like that before... looked like a fiend with humanoid body." He scratched his head, and sighed again. "How could that thing get inside the Chamber of the Fayth? I just don't get it." Silver looked at Serenity and took off his mask. "You hurt?"

Serenity moved her bag to her other shoulder, but continued to walk silently. She listened to Silver ramble on and slowly felt her anger ebbing away. She had to get something out in the open before she lost the confidence to say it. Serenity stopped suddenly in the middle of the second bridge under the waterfall. She turned around and faced Silver, looking him in the eyes now that he had took off his mask, though her eyes were not filled with anger, but with worry.

"It's hard to be injured when yours truly here decides to take it upon himself to play hero and go after the—the thing, all by his lonesome," Serenity said matter-of-factly. "Why exactly did you do it? Did you do it for the praise and utter personal satisfaction? Because you seemed like you were really enjoying yourself back there, Silver. Or maybe it was because you felt the need to protect the Summoner's daughter. Was that it? Because if it is…" Serenity's voice faltered, looking like she was on the brink of tears.

"…I can hold my own, Silver. What if something happened to you back there! I would never, ever have forgiven myself. For I had left you…Oh Yevon!" She yelled into the cliffs, and her voice echoed of a few seconds. Serenity looked at him, wanting to say so much more but have lost the courage and the words to, and ran off into the woods to the docks.

"Hey, Serenity!" Silver yelled as she ran away. _This time you've done it, hero..._ He shook his head and took off running after her, being much faster and catching up with her pretty soon. "Wait up," he called, still running next to her. He moved a little faster and stood between her and the path that led to the beach and towards the docks.

"Hey, I'm sorry about that. It's just... well, to be honest I kinda felt weird when I saw it. I think it was in part my own pride, still... how do you think I would have felt if something had happened to you if you stayed for me? How would I be able to look at your brother, at your parents, or at anyone else if something had happened to you..." He placed his hand on her shoulder and fixed a smile.

"Lady Yuna had her guardians, all of them would've given their lives for her. Well, I would give mine for you..." He pat her shoulder and turned around, walking towards the dock, his tail waving happily behind him as he covered his extremely red cheeks with the scarf.

_She's out of your league, man. What the Hell are you thinking?! What about Tallulah? _

_T__hat was a long time ago, I have to live my own life. _

_So you're hurting her feelings? _

_She hurt mine didn't she?_

And you're the kind of guy that takes an eye for an eye?

No, I'm not. It's just…well, our story was a long time ago.

So? 

…

Serenity stood there for a moment, first in shock, for she wasn't sure what had just happened, but then she smiled brightly inwardly. She laughed to herself, and not at him, as she watched his tail wave around happily behind him. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so ecstatic since her parents disappearance, other than finding Kai was still alive and well just the day before, and having a whole group of friends to find the missing people with. She followed after him, kicking playfully in the sand.

"Ok, we're finally here," Silver called at the others, getting on the ship. "Sorry we're late." He decided not to tell anyone about the monster, and really hoped the Ronso wouldn't catch the scent of its blood. Silver looked back at Serenity and smiled under his scarf, but then saw Tallulah and sighed.  
_  
Ok Silver, you're in big trouble you stupid tiger. You are already an adult and still your hormones keep controlling you..._ "Well, I guess that's all of us, we can go now." He walked to the back of the boat, placed his blitzball on the floor and sat on it, arms folded.

_What do you want me to do, toss a coin? _

_It would be at least better than to puzzle yourself. _

_Yes, easy to say. Why am I still talking to you? _

_Because I am you, idiot. _

_Oh, right. Almost forgot about it._

…

"Kai!" Serenity called to him. She looked back at Silver, who didn't say anything about the fiend, and figured it was for the best. She smiled at Kai. "Hope you guys weren't waiting long. Let's get going!" She started off towards the boat, motioning for him to follow.

Kai turned at Serenity's call and smiled. He followed his sister onto the boat. "What took you so long, Serenity? And don't try to lie because I'll know that you are."

…

As the last note of the song rang out, Zephyr smiled as she smiled but rarely. "Want to do another one, Calix? I think she ship's leaving soon . . . our comrades might want to hear a tune in the background." Although, she knew, Tallulah was the one to sing it, not her. She felt almost traitorous for singing her song, Star, to Calix before to the songstress.

…

Silver took out a bullet from his gunblade's chamber and began playing with it as he sank deep inside his own mind.

_Hard to be a man already, now try to be a man in love... _

_It's because you make it hard, why not just decide? _

_Yeah, like if it was that easy... decide? One is the daughter of the High Summoner Yuna, who you claim to be the most beautiful woman alive. And her daughter looks just exactly like Yuna did in her youth. The other, a famous Songstress, beautiful and loved by all Spira. Both are out of my league. I'm not even human, and I'm only a Blitzer. _

_Lady Yuna's husband is one as well, isn't he? _

_He was her Guardian. _

_And didn't you say you were becoming Serenity's Guardian? _

_That's different, Lady Yuna's husband had no one else in his mind. _

_Oh, then you want Tallulah eh?_

I don't know! Leave me alone for once!

I can't, I'm bound to you because we are the same!

Talk about tragedies…

…

Serenity laughed apprehensively, and walked over to the side of the boat that faced the beach. She wanted to be able to watch Besaid until she wasn't able to see it anymore. Serenity put her arms on the ledge and leaned against it. "Well…if I'm not to lie, then, Kai, I think I shouldn't say anything at all," Serenity said to him.

Kai walked over and stood beside her. "I see. Well, that's good, yet also bad." He looked out on the beach, and turned to Serenity and smiled.

Serenity looked over at Kai and smiled back. "Well, I'm here now, alive and well, I think that should be enough, don't you?" She nudges him playfully with her elbow, before looking back out on the beach. "It feels like this is going to be on long, difficult journey."


	15. Back on the High Seas

****

Back on the High Seas

"I will play, if you will either request, or sing...I have no qualms with playing music...Calix stated almost with a grin. "Music is soothing and calming, why not listen?" He asked to the sailors who were now working, but keeping up an ear to hear the bliss of the notes.

…

Tallulah watched Silver sitting alone on his blitzball. He looked... worried about something and she could tell it wasn't Lady Yuna. He had something else in his mind. She glanced at Serenity who was standing with her brother and almost let out a growl. The two of them had been awfully late, maybe... maybe he had told her something and she had rejected him. But then why did she look so relaxed? No, Silver hadn't proposed to her or anything. Just... he looked so lonely. But that was good, wasn't it? A good chance to go and comfort him. No. It was better if she took him back to that special place where they said goodbye, then it would be like if nothing had happened and they would be together again. She'd just have to keep that girl Serenity away until then.

…

(There was trouble...) Lhinx thought as she watched Silver pass her and go to the back of the boat. (He stinks of blood and demon energy. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck rise. Awe well, I guess if he won't say anything, I sure won't. But this is definitely a good reason to go investigate the temple.) The Ronso looked out at the ocean. The gull's caws and the sound of the tide gently pummeling the side of the boat was a good distraction. (Elder...why do you trust me?) Lhinx wondered. (I can almost feel your spirit when you took this same trip from Besaid to Kilika and how worried you were about Lady Yuna...But, is this a premonition of things to come?)

…

Silver shook his head a little and stood up, looking at the island fading away on the horizon. "A pretty day for sailing," he said in a low voice and stood there, smiling for no reason.

…

"One more," Zephyr said thoughtfully. "I think more people will know this one. . ." She hadn't written this one either, but she sang it with a voice that indicated that she felt every word of the lyrics as if they had emerged directly from her own heart. It was fast-paced, and suited her low range well.

"I let the beast in too soon,  
I don't know how to live without  
My hand on its throat,  
I fight him always, and still,  
Oh, darling, it's so sweet,  
You think you know how crazy,  
How crazy I am . . .  
You say you don't spook easy,  
You won't go, but I know  
And I pray that you will . . .

Fast as you can, baby, run,  
Free yourself of me,  
Fast as you can. . . I may be soft in your palm  
But I'll soon grow hungry for a fight  
And I will not let you win,  
My pretty mouth will frame  
The phrases that will disprove  
Your faith in man. . .

So if you catch me trying to  
Find my way into your heart  
From under your skin. . . Fast as you can, baby,  
Scratch me out, free yourself,  
Fast as you can,  
Fast as you can, baby,  
Scratch me out, free yourself,  
Fast as you can. . ."

Suddenly, the song she sang became more placid and calm.

"Sometimes my mind don't shake and shift,  
But most of the time, it does. . .  
And I get to the place where I'm begging for a lift,  
Or I'll drown in the wonders and the was. . .  
And I'll be your girl, if you say it's a gift,  
And you give me some more of your drugs;  
Yeah, I'll be your pet, if you just tell me it's a gift,  
Cuz I'm tired of whys, choking on whys,  
Just need a little because, because. . ."

It wasn't long before the tune picked up again. Zephyr had labeled that verse the "dreaming" section of the song.

"I let the beast in and then  
I even tried forgiving him,  
But it's too soon, so I'll fight again,  
Again, again, again, again.  
And for a little while more,  
I'll soar the uneven wind,  
Complain and blame the sterile land,  
But if you're getting any bright ideas,  
Quiet, dear, I'm blooming within. . .

Fast as you can, baby,  
Wait, watch me, I'll be out,  
Fast as I can, maybe late,  
But at least about  
Fast as you can, leave me,  
Let this thing run it's route,  
Fast as you can. . ."

…

Lhinx found herself standing near the front of the boat, back straight and her arms crossed across her chest. A contemplative stance, but it was one she had seen Elder Kimahri do many a time, hoping to copy it almost exactly. The wind felt good, nice and cool with the occasional tiny drop of water hitting her face. Lhinx had always liked water. She had been desperate to learn how to swim when she was younger, begging the captain of the Ronso Fangs to teach her. 

And so he had, much to the near dissatisfaction of her father, Garik. Her father learned to appreciate her knowledge when she was able to defeat water fiends and hold her breath for quite a considerable amount of time, something a lot of Ronso Lhinx's age couldn't do then. Lhinx, then a Ronso pup, had temporarily dreamed of a career as one of the Ronso Fangs, but soon found her training from Garik was taking up a lot of her interest. 

(I had dedicated a lot of my time to learning how to fight and protect the weaker Ronso. Father interested me in a career in the military. But I want to be a bodyguard, like Elder Kimahri was. There might not be much need for them right now with Summoner's pilgrimages being gone, but I can still offer my services to merchants going on the Mt. Gagazet trail and to many other places. Of course, I have to prove to myself that I can manage myself. And I'll do so on this journey.) 

The Ronso got out of her stream of thought with Lucine tapping her on the upper arm. The Ronso turned to face the Al Bhed. 

"Don't look so serious. You're beginning to scare me." Lucine said with a bright smile. Lhinx smiled and nodded, uncrossing her arms. The boat then shifted violently to the right, almost tipping over the entire boat, yet still shocking everyone and knocking some off their feet. "There's a fiend on the port side!" One of the sailors cried, pointing to the left side of the boat.

"It's big!" Lhinx rush to the left, looking into the semi-blue/black ocean for something unusual. (What could it be...) The Ronso wondered, pulling out her poleaxe. The water on the port side of the boat then exploded into a large cloud of white, followed by a rather large sea serpent like creature, which rose up 40 feet over the boat.

The creature looked at the boat, opening its large mouth and exposing long fang like teeth, which guarded row upon row of flat, comb like teeth. It let out a long roar like hiss, which forced the Ronso to cover her ears in pain. The hiss faded out, heralding many Sahagin like creatures to jump on board the ship.

(Well, this is gonna be a pleasant day.) The Ronso thought as she whacked one of the approaching Sahagin in the gut with her staff and into a Sahagin behind it.

…

Serenity closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the wind blowing at her hair. She turned around, leaning her back on the edge now, listening to Zephyr's beautiful singing and trying to feel the emotions expressed in the words and in the tone of the woman's voice. It was then that the boat shifted violently to the right, on the side that they were on.

Her breath got caught in her throat as it tipped almost completely over. It felt like she was floating, they way they were suspended not far from the water's surface. Serenity hit the floor hard when it finally balanced itself out, and she coughed coarsely, for that fall did not help her regain air in her lungs. "There's a fiend on the port side!" Serenity heard a sailor cry. "It's big!"

Serenity narrowed her eyes from the pain she still felt, and slowly made her way towards the port side. The water on that side exploded into a cloud that covered a large amount of space, and she sheltered herself from the water spray. A long, roaring hiss then filled the sound waves, and Serenity squatted down on the boat's wet floor, grabbing onto her ears as if she was going deaf.

When it finally faded away, Serenity opened her eyes to find the boat was overrun with fish-like creatures called Sahagins. She looked around in bewilderment and held out her guns in front of her, her arms crossed at the wrists, wondering which to attack first while backing away from them though everywhere she turned there were more.

…

Silver collapsed on the floor, his ears just being to sensitive as the horrible noise could be heard. It was a terrible pain for him, but when it finally ceased he stood up, a little dizzy though but ready to fight those creatures that jumped on the boat. "Damn you!" He drew his gunblade and sliced the first one that stood a few inches away from him. All of sudden, one of the creatures hit him from behind and made him collapse again. The fiend had opened a wound on Silver's back. He suppressed a scream of pain as he rolled and punched it with his strong fists, then jumping on his fit and grabbing his weapon once again.

…

Two children and a middle-aged woman shivered in terror as many of the amphibious attackers came at them. Lhinx jumped in and took on a defensive position in front of the family. "Go." The Ronso said briefly. The woman nodded and hurried herself and the children away as the Ronso looked to make sure the humans got to safety. But with their potential meal gone, the Sahagin decided to force the Ronso to replace it. 

(I've allowed them to corner me...I can take these weak things on, but there are so many. All I can do now is fight and hope for the best.) Lhinx let out a brief, angry roar as she thrashed at the Sahagins coming at her in what seemed like endless supply. Her right arm, which held her weapon, could barely move because of the weight of Sahagins coming at her, making the poleaxe useless until she could get some room. She thrashed both her arms away, knocking back a few of the amphibious creatures. Lhinx put her axe away and decided an even more direct approach may be required. 

The Ronso flexed her large hands and the one inch long, large black needle like claws that had once been nothing more then just a part of her hand lengthened and became like 4 inch daggers, slashing at anything that would come near. Her pupils thinned into angry, raging lines, making the Ronso much resemble some dangerous fiend rather then a creature that was capable of thought and speech, even though the latter was rather poor.

She continued lashing out at the slimy creatures, feeling an odd animal like rage beginning to take over. The feeling, as Kimahri and many another Ronso had told her, was the ancient blessing of the Ronso tribe, a moment of true unity with their animal side that strengthened the Ronso in battle. This was Ronso Rage. The Ronso youth felt her strength renewed, if not increased as she managed to send back many more of the creatures with one well timed swing of her forearm to the first row of the attackers.

The Ronso youth had a brief amount of personal space for the moment, giving her time to again pull out her weapon and slash the bellies of the few Sahagin who managed to get up from their previous stupor. (This is useless...There's too many of these things. If we could just figure out a way to stop them...but how? What could be the reason for this sudden attack...Duh...)

The Ronso looked up at the towering serpent fiend, which seemed to be watching the entire show. (We have to stop that thing...but my only attack that can reach it would be my Jump attack...) "Kill the serpent!" The Ronso yelled to Serenity. "Long range attack!" (We have plenty of available long-range attackers. I just hope they can manage to kill that thing. I'll get to it as soon as I can get through.)

…

Silver heard Lhinx's advice and reached for his blitzball, lifting it with his feet as he usually did and kicking it real hard. The ball flew and crashed against the serpent's head. Of course it wasn't enough to take it down, but at least to make it dizzy. The black blitzball returned to him and he caught it, letting it fall. A second later he unclipped something from his gunblade... and a huge, silver revolver came out of the blade, which fell and crashed against the floor.

He was about to shoot when another creature attacked him, the revolver falling down as well as him. It was a real luck the gun hadn't shoot by itself for accident. Again Silver managed to take the creature off and got to his revolver, taking aim and shooting. The heavy bullet hit the serpent just under its head and a small explosion could be seen. Expansive bullets, powerful one... _... but only five left..._

"Serenity! Aim to the eyes! It won't fight without it's eyes!" he looked around and saw one creature about to hit Tallulah from behind. Without even taking careful aim he shot and hit the Sahagin. The blade from his gunblade rolled next to him.

… 

The Ronso heard the thud of a sharp attack and looked up at the serpent. (Good, we're on the right track now.) Lhinx thought as she witnessed yet another attack, this time even more painful looking to the serpent. The Ronso felt a slash at her arm and without thought grabbed the offender and threw it into the ocean. The Sahagin weren't coming in such large numbers now. (Now I know it's that creature that's doing this. We should be able to manage these numbers easily if that serpent takes some more punishment.)

…

As soon as Zephyr heard the cry of the sailor, she leapt to her feet and scrambled up the stairs to the highest point she could reach, the second deck of the ship. "Aren't you a handsome little bastard," she muttered to the serpent, which reminded her of the gucumatz that slithered around Guadosalam. With this thought in mind, she loaded her gun's mixing chamber with a flash grenade and a lightning gem.

Logically, when you're surrounded by water, a good shock's gotta hurt like hell. Taking careful aim through the cobalt sight, the halfling let loose three shots of electrically charged shrapnel. They ripped through the beast's flesh and left gaping wounds. Zephyr couldn't help but smirk at the thought of the serpent's pain as the salt water splashed against its torn skin.

Zephyr loaded up again, this time with two flash grenades. She attempted to steady her hand, a difficult task on a ship that moved with the waves, and then released a round of blinding bullets towards the serpent's head. "Come on. . ." she muttered as she peered intently through the cobalt sight, hoping that one of her shots would hit the creature's eyes. "Come on. . . yes!"

Zephyr cried suddenly, jumping to her feet as the fiend's eyes clouded over from her status attack. She knew that one of the bullets had hit home, tearing through cornea and lens of the monster, so that vitreous humor poured down its reptilian face like tears. "Attack like hell, guys, there's no way it'll hit you now! Not for a little while, anyway," she added, mostly to herself. She turned her own attention to the small swarm of Sahagins that had made their way to the upper deck. "Hello there, lovelies," she said sweetly, pulling out a couple of lightning gems. "Today's your lucky day. . ."


	16. Not Over Yet

****

Not Over Yet

The Shagin were beginning to fall back, the painful cries of their master calling them to its aid.  
  
(That's right...We'll get through this quicker then I thought.) Lhinx smirked and began going towards where the main target was.  
  
(I can't make a jump attack without getting in the way of Zephyr's or any of the other's attacks. I'll just have to make due with the "minnows" that keep flopping up on deck.)  
  
Though there were fewer coming on board, the Sahagin were still a threat. The Ronso continued to fight the creatures, hoping her effort to keep them distracted would be enough for the others to finish the serpent off.

…

Zephyr just threw the pair of deadly orbs into the crowd before them, and the monsters fell dead in a flash. She patted her many pockets and realized that she was out of lightning orbs, which could easily mean trouble if more of the minion fiends came. She readied her gun, prepared to use the barrel designed for simple bullets to bring down any more Sahagins that came her way.

…

Serenity had finished off a group of Sahagin that had surrounded her when she heard Lhinx and Silver yell to attack the serpent, the leader of the group, and take out its eyes. She ran over in time to see Zephyr's flash grenades hit the serpent and render it useless for the time being now that it was blinded. They had to finish it off before the status completely disappeared. She looked around to see Lhinx and Zephyr busy fending off the rest of the Sahagins, and figured it was up to the rest of them to finish it off. Serenity pointed her guns at the blinded serpent and readied herself to pull off a Trigger Happy with two guns instead of the usual one.  
  
"Trigger Happy," Serenity whispered, and started firing bullets after bullets into the already heavily injured fiend. It pierced past its previously ripped flesh from Zephyr's lightning gem with ease and entered straight into its body, threatening to come out through the other side and tear the fiend into two.

…

(Ah screw it.) Lhinx thought. (If I can get it down to such a weak state with my jump attack, and maybe manage to stay on it's head or something for a while...I know I can jump back....well, only one way to find out.)  
  
The Ronso ran to the edge of the boat, and jumped high into the air, her ascent halting too high for anyone on the boat to see and her descent going faster, her pole axe pointed down at the creature's head.  
  
(Here it comes!) Lhinx thought eagerly, feeling that rush of adrenaline and the thrill of the hunt that her Ronso given animal nature brought on.  
  
Upon contact with the head, Lhinx felt her weapon's edge break the bone near the top of the head between the eyes and go all the way to what she hoped was the creature's brain.  
  
The Ronso pulled out her weapon, breaking out even more shards of bone. The creature threw its head back, making Lhinx lose her balance. Her left hand quickly grabbed at the semi rock like scales, her right hand still holding her weapon.  
  
(This isn't going exactly as I had hoped...) The Ronso thought as she struggled just to keep her grip as the head thrashed around in pain.  
  
The Ronso youth looked to the boat and waited until the precise moment she could position her feet just right to jump back to the boat.

(I gotta do it quickly....who knows how long it will take this thing got reason itself into going back under water?)  
  
It was then, for a split second, her Ronso instinct moved both her feet near her left hand, gaining some more support during the terrible jostling.  
  
(Alright...here we go.) The Ronso gulped and during one final thrash of the serpent's head, the Ronso's next move was almost in perfect sync with the creature's yowl like hiss. Lhinx jettisoned off the creature's head and went flying towards the boat. Instinct yet again took over as she flipped herself to make her feet hit the deck. The jump had been rather strong though, what with her arms having to come forward quickly to stop her face from meeting the deck.  
  
(How embarrassing would that have been, I wonder...) The Ronso thought. (A Ronso falling face first after jumping...I'd never hear the end of it.)

…

Zephyr watched as the creature thrashed in the water, in its death throes. Its minions literally leapt off of the sides of the boat to attend to their master, but the halfling knew it was too late. She smiled and clipped her gun to her belt, brushing her hands off against one another with a satisfying smacking noise.  
  
"Great job, everyone!" she cried. "We killed that bastard dead! With that level of teamwork, we'll be able to tackle any fiend that comes our way!"

…

Serenity eventually let out a laugh, and smiled at the rest of the group. She held up her guns and blew the smoke out of them before twirling them playfully back into their holsters. Looking around to make sure the others were all right, she walked over to Lhinx and bent down beside her. "Hey, you okay? That looked like a hard fall."

…

Just then Silver remembered his wound. With his effort in the fight it had opened even more, blood rolling down. He stood in his knees, closing his eyes as the pain engulfed him. Then he stood up, trying to be strong and re-joined his gun with the blade. He walked towards the others, the scarf already off his face. "Well... to Kilika now..."

…

(A little too hard. I gotta be more careful...)  
  
"Lhinx okay." Lhinx said as she stood up. Instantly, her legs almost faltered, getting used to the weight that they were supposed to be able to carry. "Monster dead, right?"

…

"No!" Calix hollered as he watched his flute slurp into the deep green water, in one swift motion his staff was out of his hands and his trench coat on top it. Unfortunately it took a bit longer to remove his pants, even though they are baggy, but within a few seconds Calix was on the stern railing, preparing to jump in.

…

Serenity looked up at the Ronso and nodded. "Yes, the fiend's been destroyed." She smiled then looked over to Silver, who had walked over and joined them. He seemed to be pained and Serenity scanned over his body to trace it. She posed the same question to him. "Are you okay, Silver?", before turning her head at the person who yelled, "No!", now ready to jump off the boat into the water.

…

Silver was about to answer with a solemn nod when he heard the man and turned to him, a shiver of pain climbing up his spine. "What now!?"

…

Zephyr blinked and turned to Calix, who was about to jump into the water. She then glanced back at the body of the serpent, still bobbing on the surface. The water close to it churned with the green scales of countless minion fiends.  
  
"Calix, you dumbass!" she cried, running down the stairs and to the deck next to him. "The water's swarming with fiends! What are you thinking!?"

…

The Ronso looked at Silver.  
  
(That smell. The blood again...) Lhinx could feel the hair on the back of her neck rise. (He should be healed by tomorrow, if the rumors of demons I always hear are true.)  
  
The splash of someone jumping overboard caught her attention, whirling her head around just in time to see the slight pillar of water the diver had made disappear.  
  
(Uh oh...)

…

Calix didn't wait to reply. He dove directly into the warm depths of tropic sea headfirst. With out a care for the monsters, Calix swam with all his force to get to the location where he presumed the flute to be.

…

The half-Guado sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "If he doesn't come up in two minutes, I'm going in . . ." she muttered, and started counting to herself in her head. One . . . ten . . . twenty . . . thirty . . .

…

Soon after his sleek body entered the water the Sahagin were hot on his trail, looking for revenge on their leader. Once about half way to where he thought his flute should be, the fiends had almost caught up and he realized he had left his staff behind. _Why don't you go and be rational about it and leave your staff behind? Fool_. Calix thought and he tried to quicken his pace.

…

Silver just smiled as he saw how worried Zephyr was about him.  
  
_Time for you to do your stuff, tough guy..._  
  
Silver took off his scarf, throwing it away along with the gunblade and jumped into the water like he did the day before. This time, his wound was filled with salty water, making the pain a lot stronger as we swam after the man.  
  
_You're a better swimmer, but let him do whatever he is trying; you just look after that monster..._

…

(What's that idiot thinking?!) The Ronso thought frantically, though her face was still that of a stone-like Ronso. (I can't go in after him because of the fiends, but I should because of the fiends.)  
  
She then saw Silver run past and jump in as well.  
  
The Ronso cursed inwardly.  
  
(You're both mad.)  
  
The Ronso ran to the side, looking into he water.  
  
(They should be okay. But that blood'll attract every fiend in there all the way from Bikanel.)  
  
The Ronso stepped back a bit and then ran, jumping over the guardrail and into the water.  
  
(I'll see what happens and back them up if the need comes.)

…

Zephyr wasn't worried about Calix so much as terminally annoyed. Nevertheless, she knew that he was an asset to the group - moreover, an asset to herself.  
  
Forty . . . fifty . . . sixty . . . that was a minute that had passed.  
  
"Come on. . ." she muttered irritably as she tugged off her vest and kicked her boots off of her black-socked feet. She then pulled her leather gloves off her hands, which were characteristically overlarge, nails silver-blue and clawlike - typical of a Guado or halfling.

…

Silver noticed the Sahagins and took off his gloves. Time for his claws to do the trick. He dove underwater, following the fiends that were on the man's trail and managed to catch on, slashing it. Unfortunately the rest caught onto his blood trail and some reached for him.  
  
_Damn monsters..._  
  
He swam faster, and back to the surface, trying to call the fiend's attention.

…

(Ah, so that's his game.) The Ronso thought.  
  
The blue-gray furred creature swam quickly toward many Sahagin that saw the half-demon as a potential meal. The Ronso flexed her claws and began slashing at the soft belly of the monsters, the red blood of them drifting around her.  
  
(I'm glad I can't smell under water, but I don't have much time under here.) Lhinx thought frantically.  
  
More Sahagin came, the blank, grotesque look in their fish eye becoming more evident with the longer time the Ronso spent under water.  
  
After whirling around and kicking one of many away with her foot, the Ronso swam quickly up to the surface.

…

Calix dove deeper and deeper under the water level, the dark lagoon of a sandy bottom slowly veered its way into sight, but still no sign of the flute. He swam franticly to find his hand on the bottom of the ocean. His eyes darted back and forth as he spun around looking for his dearest treasure, until finally a glinting beam of light caught his eye. Calix kicked off the sandy and weak floor, so he would be able to actually get to the flute before he ran out of air.

…

Silver smiled at the Ronso and helped her slashing down enemies, blood everywhere. The pain was really intense but he was already getting used to it. Silver looked down and saw the man. He got worried, he could manage not to breathe for almost an hour as he was a blitzer, but he wasn't sure about Lhinx or the guy they were trying to help

…

Serenity watched as Silver jumped in, followed by Lhinx. She ran over to the side, noticing Zephyr getting ready to jump in as well. "You can't possibly…" Serenity started, but never finished her sentence. The others did, why not her as well? She watched as the Sahagin came in swarms and went after the trio underwater. Serenity shook her head and loaded one of her guns with more ammo. "Scattershot," Serenity said, and fired bullets into the water at Sahagin farther away from the group as to not hurt her friends in the water, and hopefully stop more from getting over and reaching them.

…

Lhinx gulped in the refreshing air, feeling a bite to her foot and many others to her legs. The Ronso clenched her teeth and slashed at any of the Sahagin who dared come near, one after the other.  
  
(I'm getting a bit tired. I haven't had to fight under water for quite some time.)  
  
The Ronso let out a roar and thrashed at yet another Sahagin and went under water, partially by her own volition, the other part the fiends that drug her down.  
  
Her roar came out in a bubble of precious air, which surfaced quickly. The Ronso lashed at many more the fiends, turning around and around again and again, getting dizzy with each attack. And with each attack, her lungs began to beg for air.  
  
The Ronso swam quickly to the surface and gulped in more air.

…

Silver swam towards Lhinx as fast as he was able, slashing the fiends on his way. With a last glance at the other guy he got to his Ronso friend and bit the closest attacker. As he tried to free her from all the fiends surrounding he got bitten once or twice, and then on his tail. He suddenly felt filled with anger and slashed the monster that attacked him madly, turning it into a pile of dead meat.

…

Zephyr began counting aloud after a little while. "One ten. . . one twenty," she muttered. "Alright, dumbass, I'm coming for you." She still wore her jeans and turtleneck, but the rest of her clothing, her belt, and her glasses were all on deck. The halfling took three deep breaths, holding the last one in her lungs, and leapt with an odd grace into the water. She wasn't a particularly strong swimmer, but her body was relatively streamlined and her hands and feet, being rather large, were practically designed to be used as flippers.  
  
It wasn't too long before she caught sight of Calix. He looked as if he was about to pass out, but she waited for him to get his flute - wherever it was. It looked as if he had it in sight.  
  
In anticipation of his running out of air, she kept herself from using up too much of the oxygen in her lungs. . .

…

"Thanks." Lhinx said briefly as she slashed at yet another.  
  
(I come in to help him, he helps me instead...some body guard I'll be if I live through this...) The Ronso thought, a bit unhappy with herself.

…

"There's…so many!" Serenity said and bit her bottom lip, firing bullets into the water, each bullet hitting 3 Sahagin at a time due to the effects of Scattershot. But when one died, it was like 5 took its place. "Come on! Get out of there!" Serenity yelled, volleying out more shots as she saw Zephyr jump into the fray as well. Serenity got out her other gun, refilled it with ammo as well, and shot with both guns with Scattershot. _We'll be lucky to reach Kilika in once piece!_

…

The Ronso yowled angrily, slashing at the hordes.  
  
(Where the heck is that guy?) Lhinx wondered, referring to Calix. (We need to get back on board soon, otherwise these things will eat us.)

…

"What are friends for if not to share some fresh sushi?" He joked, smiling at the Ronso. "Ok, I'm diving under you and helping you on the boat again, then I'm going after those two lovebirds, ok?" Silver didn't wait for her response and dove under Lhinx, pushing her feet up and making her fly high out of the water. He then went down, going after the Guado and her young friend, slashing whatever on his way.

…

Calix drew closer and closer to his precious tool of the international language called music. His hand stretched out to full length until... he felt the smooth metal in his grasp. Once the flute was once again his Calix noticed the large cloud of blood at the surface of the water, and he noticed Zephyr. With out wasting any more time, and or air Calix kicked off the ground heading for the surface, but around halfway to the surface, Calix had passed out and began a slow flotation to the surface.

…

Even before Calix passed out, Zephyr had a foreboding feeling that he would. She just hoped like hell that no one would see them. . .  
  
She made her way to his limp form, floating in the water, and grabbed onto him. Thinking just briefly about what excuses she could give to the others, she opened his mouth and pressed her lips to his, breathing precious air into his lungs. Quickly after that, she pulled him to the surface, hoping that he'd wake up and become capable of supporting his own weight upon gaining a steady supply of oxygen.

…

__

Damn you...  
  
Silver saw the man pass out and swam a lot faster, even using his tail for impulse. As he got closer, Silver saw the Guado girl already getting to him and pulling him to surface, Silver swimming close behind. Being bitten several times by the water fiends he had already lost lots of blood, and felt weak.  
  
_Not today... not before finding Lady Yuna and seeing Serenity safely home..._

…

(I'm gonna kill him if those fiends don't.) Lhinx thought angrily as she landed with a near thud onto the deck, her feet halting what could've been an even more embarrassing landing.  
  
Lhinx stood up and almost ran towards the edge to jump back in.  
  
"Bah." She said, walking towards Serenity and the many other onlookers. "Suicidal tiger demon." She added with a smirk.

…

Serenity looked towards Lhinx, glad that at least she was safe. "Stubborn, isn't he?" Serenity joked, and kept on shooting, though it seemed really pointless and getting nowhere. She kept her eyes on the other onlookers, who pointed and gasped, and she wished they'd go back down into their cabins, where it was safer. "I'm surprised there isn't more coming onto the boat."

…

Silver got to the surface, swimming as fast as he could towards Zephyr and her friend. "You ok?" he asked, his voice sounding really weak as he was about to pass out from the blood loss.

…

The Al Bhed didn't awaken, much to Zephyr's irritation. She dragged him up onto the ship, both of them soaking wet. She was breathing heavily, and Calix was barely breathing at all. The halfling gave the people surrounding them a look. "I'm going to take him downstairs to rest," she declared, picking him up with considerable difficulty and walking below decks.

…

Silver climbed the boat with lots of work, wounds all around his body. As he got to the deck he collapsed with a grin on his face out of pure weariness. "I'm the cat here... and I was about to be fish food..." he breathed heavily, trying to get on his feet.

…

Lhinx nodded in agreement to Serenity, watching as Zephyr pulled a now unconscious Calix up onto the boat and away from the onlookers. She felt a minor tickle like feeling on her ankles. She looked down and saw various bite marks, blood slowly beginning to ooze from them now that no water was near to wash them off. She then turned to Silver.

"You about to be dead." Lhinx said. "You have bad wound, need rest."  
  
(Screw it if he won't say anything about what happened at the temple, this is serious.)  
  
"We all need rest." The Ronso added. "Hope Kilika more peaceful."  
  
(It won't be...I just know it...)

…

Zephyr either didn't hear Silver or didn't care, or maybe both.  
  
Once she'd reached the cabins, she laid Calix down on a bed with a rasping breath. The halfling paused for a moment, taking in air with quick and greedy breaths.  
  
"Stupid bastard. . ." she muttered. She held a hand in front of his nose, and noticed that his breath was dangerously shallow. Sighing reluctantly, she pushed her hair out of her face and pushed on his stomach, water bubbling out of his mouth. "Stupid, stupid bastard. . ." she whispered as she leaned down to breathe air into him again.


	17. Aftermath

[lol, coolies, someone who likes ZephyrxCalix! And that's totally awesome that Zephyr's one of your fav characters, Shinyu! Yeah, Lucine wasn't really in this chapter, or the one before it. She won't really be in the next couple of chapters, either. Her player was sort of on vacation during that time. Much apologies if it's an inconvenience.] ****

Aftermath

Silver tried to stand up once again and finally did. He laughed softly and took off his vest that was stained with blood. His torso was all filled with wounds, some still bleeding. "I could use a warm shower and a bed."

…

Lhinx, now remembering her wet state, stepped back from many of the people and grabbed a potion from her pouch.  
  
(I knew these would come in handy.) The Ronso thought as she drank one, feeling a little less tired.  
  
She then remembered how uncomfortable being wet really was. If not for her linen wrapping under her clothing...  
  
(Now I remember why I didn't want to play blitzball.) Lhinx thought.  
  
The Ronso stepped towards the unoccupied back of the boat. After looking around, making sure no one could see, she got on all fours and shook the water off, much resembling a drenched dog after a rather unpleasant bath...  
  
(Humans don't know how lucky they are.)

…

Serenity put her guns back into their holsters again, her eyes falling upon Silver's wounded body and bloodied clothes. "There should be something downstairs, Silver," she said to him. "You need more than a shower and a good night's rest. When you're done your shower, come back up. I'll treat those wounds properly."

Silver smiled at Serenity. "My pleasure, m'lady. But I'll be fine." He walked downstairs, almost rolling down as he managed to keep himself on feet with his claws on the walls. Then he remembered he forgot his gloves on the water. "Darn!"  
  
Silver shook his head in frustration and continued downstairs and into the bathroom, a shower waiting for him. "How I need this."

…

As Lhinx smoothed out her fur, her mind couldn't help going toward the battle.  
  
(What was that thing? In all of the fiend study books and charts, I've never seen anything like that...well except for that guardian of Bevelle...)  
  
The realization hit her like one of the bomb fragments she now feared.  
  
(Of course! That's what it is! But, it just looked like a sea serpent...not too much like the guardian from the chart...yet it could be a relative from a similar ancestor which adapted itself to sea life...and it just never came out up until now...yeah right...)  
  
The Ronso sighed and snorted some of her white mane out of her face.  
  
(I'm back at square one and my fur's a mess...how can it get any better then this?)

…

When Calix still didn't awaken, Zephyr sighed and left him there to rest. She returned upstairs, drenched and annoyed in appearance.  
  
"Well, that was lovely," she said irritably. "How are you all?" the halfling asked as she strapped on her belt, not caring how drenched she was. Her belt was part of her; more specifically, the alchemist's gun clipped to its right side. She patted the compartments of the belt and, as she pulled it on, the pockets of her vest. "Anyone in need of items? Besides lightning gems," she noted, mostly to herself. She'd have to snatch some from the fiends they fought from now on.

…

Lhinx noticed Zephyr come out and hesitated a bit at first, but approached. "Is he okay?" Lhinx asked.

…

Serenity smiled lightly and waved as Silver went downstairs, and saw Zephyr coming up the stairs. She gave her a smile and a wave, too, before lying back down on the boat floor, exhausted. "You got a Potion on you?"

…

Zephyr smiled slightly and, as if to dispel Lhinx's fear, pulled the torn linen bandage - the white flag - from her pocket, wiping her forehead with it. This action, of course, was mostly so lookers-on wouldn't expect any deeper meaning. It was just a bandage, an item of convenience.  
  
"He's still out, but he's breathing," she informed the Ronso as she tucked the bandage back into her pocket. "His name is Calix. I never got to introduce him to all of you . . . he's coming with us, at least as far as Kilika."

Zephyr looked to Serenity and nodded. "Always." Zephyr smirked and tossed her a pearled white liquid in a vial - definitely not a potion, but it smelled similar, with a stronger aroma and a slightly spicy bouquet.  
  
"Drink up," she advised. "You'll feel much better."

…

Lhinx smirked. (So she did find it.) The Ronso thought. "That's good," Lhinx said, genuinely happy. "Just hope Kilika is peaceful."

…

Silver took off his remaining clothing and stepped into the shower, the blood and salty water being washed from his body.  
  
_Hurts like hell...  
  
Your fault for wanting to play hero  
  
Oh, so I should've abandoned that guy?  
  
Why not?  
  
I'm not like that...  
  
_He moaned softly in pain as the wounds were filled and washed with the clean, warm water. He had no fur around his body like pureblood Demons do, but still it was hard to wash the blood. He was finished in a little while and stepped out, only a towel around his waist for he left his clothes washing on the tub. He climbed upstairs, his golden skin turned red due to the water.

…

"I'm hoping the rest of the damn trip is peaceful, personally," Zephyr said to Lhinx under her breath. "I've had enough excitement to last me a couple of weeks, anyway." She sat down on deck next to the pile consisting of her gloves, glasses, shoes and socks. "I'm exhausted . . ."

…

"Calix…and he's only coming until Kilika? I hope I can speak with him before he leaves. Maybe he'll choose to stay longer." Serenity caught the vial Zephyr had thrown at her, and looked at it. It didn't look like a potion, but it smelled the same apart from its stronger aroma.  
  
"Drink up. You'll feel better," Zephyr advised.  
  
"Thanks a lot," Serenity said graciously, and started drinking the liquid.

…

Lhinx nodded in agreement to Zephyr.  
  
The Ronso felt exhausted as well, not having fought underwater in so long, she knew she would have to train herself for such combat.  
  
Lhinx's ear twitched in the direction of the door, hearing it open slightly, remembering Silver had gone down.  
  
(I need to clean up too. The blood on my legs is probably gonna cake on soon. It'll be heck to clean off. Humans and that demon don't know how lucky they are...)

…

"Is it working?" Zephyr asked, watching intently. "It's a cocktail of X-Potion, Remedy, and, um . . ." She paused and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, breaking eye contact. "It's my own recipe," she finished lamely. "A few, er, exotic ingredients. You know. I wouldn't want to spoil the fun."  
  
She thought, bleakly, about the moron downstairs. It's a flute. A flute. Not worth risking your life for, no matter what sentimental value it holds. At the same time, she thanked whatever merciful gods were watching over her that none of her comrades had seen her giving him impromptu CPR . . .

Serenity looked at Zephyr and smiled warmly as she looked away while explaining what it was she was drinking. "Oh, no need to feel embarrassed, Zephyr, I feel completely rejuvenated! It works wonders. And a really unique blend, too. Tastes a whole lot better than a regular potion."

…

Lhinx noted a slight bit of embarrassment on the Guado-halfling's face, but the Ronso passed it off.  
  
(I need to soak my legs when we get to Kilika. The blood will come off and the wounds should be scabbing over and gone soon.) The Ronso thought.  
  
The Ronso yawned, her sharp, pearl white fangs and teeth showing.

…

Silver appeared on the deck, feeling refreshed by the sea wind. He walked up to his companions and looked upon the horizon, nothing yet but the big ocean in front of them. "We'll be getting to Kilika soon, I can't wait to see home" he said, smiling widely.

…

"Well, that's good," Zephyr replied to Serenity, an unwanted tint of pink creeping into her cheeks. Zephyr smiled slightly in spite of herself, then stretched out on the deck to take a nap in the sun. She dropped off in no time - she really was exhausted.

…

"Hope you put clothes on before then," Lhinx said to Silver, her monotone Ronso voice almost killing the humor of the statement. Almost.

…

Serenity giggled and looked over at Zephyr, who had stretched out on the deck and fallen asleep; surprised she was so modest. She then glanced over at Silver from her lying position on the floor. She saw him with nothing on but a towel and a small smile danced upon her lips, partly because of Lhinx's comment.

…

Lhinx looked at Serenity from the corner of her eye, smiling inwardly.  
  
(I think I'll make my exit right now...)  
  
"Going to see captain. Want damage report." Lhinx said, and strolled off, her tail swishing a bit, like a cat who had just played a fun trick.

…

"Don't worry, I'm not much into nudism." Silver laughed, looking then at Serenity who at the same time was looking at him and smiling, blushing a little. He went and picked up his scarf, wrapping it around his neck immediately.

…

Serenity waved at Lhinx, then giggled at Silver, turning her head so she wouldn't accidentally look up somewhere that she shouldn't. "What's the story behind that scarf, Silver?" Serenity asked, noticing him putting it on. She was interested in learning more about him, and felt that was a good starting place, and was the time to ask, now that most of the group was either asleep or somewhere else.

…

(It feels good to be able to joke with friends...) Lhinx thought as she left the two alone, laughing briefly at Silver's last comment, and hoping her exit had not been too suspicious and her intentions somewhat known or hinted upon to one or the other of the two.

…

"It takes us four years in the past," Silver started, smiling at her. "It all began when I was fourteen. I already was an amateur blitzer and a pretty good fighter. She came to Kilika, to give a concert at the temple. We talked for first time that night, and she asked me to take her to Zanarkand. She wanted to follow the same road your mother had, and when I told her I was born there then she asked me. Well, we went through lots of things, and finally reached Lady Yunalesca's Chamber about half-a-year later."  
  
"We got pretty close in that journey, and when we were on our way back to Kilika we stopped on Luca. I was hired by the Ronso Fangs to play the cup with them. The only championship they've won thanks to a young Ronso named Kritek. Well, after we won the cup she found me at the locker rooms. There she gave me this scarf. A sign of victory she said." Silver sighed softly and went on. "I became a Blitzer for rent, but still had lots of time to spend with Tallulah. Then, two years ago... everything changed."  
  
Silver shook his head and laughed softly. "You ever felt when things can't get better they suddenly get extremely wrong? That was what happened to us. It was at the Moonflow, on one of her concerts. I was with the Kilika Beasts then, and we had an exhibition match against the Luca Goers inside the lake, down to where that sunken city is. We lost. Then she had her concert... and... " He paused, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment and then looking back at Serenity with a smile. "... Let's just say she suddenly wanted to start a new life... by getting rid of the old one."

As Silver told his story, Serenity slowly began sitting up at the realization that Silver and Tallulah had actually been together, and were still close, with the way Tallulah acted and with how Silver still deeply treasured the scarf she had given. She looked at him when he had paused, closing his eyes before smiling at her. Serenity smiled back weakly, wondering how he could still smile at such painful thoughts. "I—I'm so sorry Silver. I…shouldn't have asked you about it…" _I should have known it was a gift from her…_ Serenity closed her eyes as well and looked away from him. It pained her to hear the story as much as it did for Silver to tell it. "I think…Tallulah still cares very deeply for you. Maybe…it was all a misunderstanding..."

…

"This boat's been sailing for years now, and the only other major accident I can note ever happening on board was when Sin attacked near 20 years ago." The captain said to the towering Ronso female youth. "We've never ran into anything like that before, otherwise we'd just revert to airships. And who knows how long those'll last. I bet that thing coulda tore an airship right out of the sky."  
  
(But an airship can easily maneuver aside. That Serpent would have to be miles long to get an airship at a very high altitude.)  
  
"Creature dead. Should not give you trouble." The Ronso replied.  
  
(Unless there's more...)  
  
"We'll be approaching Kilika soon." The captain said with a relaxed face. "Go on deck and relax, it's a nice view. Or better yet, the upper deck. You'll have shade and some privacy. A lot of the passengers are still weary from the boat getting knocked aside."  
  
The Ronso nodded and turned to leave.  
  
"Oh, one more thing." The captain said. "You and your friends might wanna be careful. I heard New Yevon's crackin' down hard at the Kilika temple."  
  
"Thanks. Will remember that." Lhinx said and left.  
  
(Great...) The Ronso mused, exiting the door and watching the back of the boat and the water as they passed over it. (New Yevon's just who I wanna deal with...)

The Ronso looked up at the top deck.  
  
(I can make that jump no problem...) The Ronso thought and squatted down a bit, then sprang upwards, landing near the edge of the second level. She felt the boat rock a bit from her landing.  
  
(Oops...) the Ronso felt a tad embarrassed and stepped towards the other end of the second level. (He's right this is a nice view...wait, is that a boat from Luca? But it's so big.)  
  
The Ronso watched a rather large tanker like vessel approach the island. Their boat was still a distance off, but the Ronso could tell the tanker was headed for Kilika. She looked a bit closer and saw the vague symbol of an eye. It was the New Yevon emblem.

…

Silver looked at her as she looked away. He smiled softly, placing one hand on her shoulder as he usually did when trying to comfort someone, careful not to cut her with his tiger claws. "Hey, it's ok. What Tallulah and I had was a long time ago. It's like playing blitzball: When the ball is take away from you, you can either go after it and lose your opportunity to score. Or you can trust one of your companions will get it back, pass it to you and you'll score a goal." He paused, laughing a little. "Sorry, metaphors not really my stuff."  
  
_Now you've ruined the perfect romantic moment...  
  
How could it be romantic, I'm naked...  
  
And covered with battle wounds, but still it is a romantic moment... and where the Hell is your girlfriend? On the same boat!  
  
She is not my girlfriend anymore, that was a very long time ago...  
  
She cares for you, and you for her...  
  
So?  
  
So you'll have to either toss that coin or keep on with the romantic moment...  
  
You are a pain in the ass, you know that?_

Yes I do, because I'm still you...  
  
sigh...  
  
When Silver's fight against himself was over he shook his head once more and smiled widely at Serenity, still trying to hide his fangs. "I got something for you," he said, walking to were his gunblade was laying, he took the revolver out and looked inside the empty hole in the blade. There he found one golden bullet, hanging from a golden chain. He placed it around Serenity's neck and smiled, returning then the revolver to its place.  
  
"That bullet is special, whenever you are in trouble just hold it and I'll be with you in thirty minutes or less or I am free." He laughed softly. "Just kidding, I'll come running to help you, ok?" Silver pat her shoulder once more and tied the towel tighter around his waist, the tail not helping one bit about keeping it on it's place.  
  
_Oh, the magical bullet?  
  
Shut up!  
  
Ok..._

…

(What could they want...) Lhinx wondered, watching the tanker pulling toward Kilika. (They can't just ram it...that would be just wrong...plus there's a temple there. Maybe what that captain said had more of a point then I thought...)  
  
The Ronso looked around the first level from her high vantagepoint. Zephyr was asleep, Lucine and Tallulah were no where to be found. (I should find them...Aaah, they're probably alright. Just hope Tallulah doesn't find Silver and Serenity alone...there's definitely gonna be trouble if not now but later.)  
  
Lhinx looked again at the New Yevon vessel pulling into Kilika. (Not just from matters of the heart no doubt.)

…

After the fight, Tallulah felt tired and retired downstairs. She was surprised to see Silver, stained in blood, walking downstairs and entering the bathroom. She got worried, could his wounds be worst than they look as most wounds were? Maybe, she decided to try healing him with her magic.  
  
After a while she saw him again, walking out with nothing but a towel, and climbing upstairs. She stood up and followed, and once upstairs she found something she had feared all the time: Serenity and Silver, standing close to each other, talking. No that couldn't be real! Tallulah stood behind the door where she could see and hear them without been discovered. Silver was telling Serenity his story with Tallulah, and listening to it pained her a lot.  
  
She never thought I would have hurt Silver so bad, since for Tallulah it was only another boyfriend. In fact he was his second one, and just had a good time with him but nothing more. She felt like scum, knowing how much Silver was hurt by her selfish decision back at the Moonflow. Just then she saw him give Serenity a golden bullet, and her rage against the girl rise to the top. How could he?! She wanted him back, and now he was flirting with some girl that looked just like his impossible love: Lady Yuna.  
  
Jealous as she was, Tallulah walked downstairs again and sat near the chocobo's room with her staff and her bag near. She was getting Silver back, no girl would take him away from her.

…

Serenity kept her eyes closed as she turned her head towards his hand that he had placed on her shoulder. She wanted to know what it felt like to brush her cheek across his hand, but decided not to for a number of reasons. She giggled at what was supposed to be a metaphor by Silver, and shook her head, opening her eyes to look at him and smiled.  
  
"I got something for you," Silver had said after a moment of silence. She tilted her head curiously and watched him get something from his gunblade. Her eyes widened in shock as he placed the necklace around her neck, and she looked down at it in awe.  
  
"That bullet is special, whenever you are in trouble just hold it and I'll be with you in thirty minutes or less or I am free." Serenity giggled again and looked back up at him. He was chivalrous, sweet and funny, all of which greatly outweighing his stubbornness. "Just kidding," he continued after he laughed as well. "I'll come running to help you, ok?"  
  
Serenity nodded, and looked into his eyes. "Thank you…so much Silver," Serenity said softly, and hugged him around the neck.

…

Lhinx smiled, watching the show from above.  
  
(Aww...even if I am a Ronso, I'm still entitled to get a bit mushy at times since I'm a girl. Good job, Silver.) Lhinx thought.  
  
The Ronso stepped form the side and watched as the island was coming considerably closer, as was the New Yevon tanker.  
  
(Better be prepared for a fight I suppose.) The Ronso thought as she pulled out her lance and jumped down to the front deck near Zephyr, the landing rocking a boat a bit.

…

Silver smiled and hugged her back, his fists closed so he won't cut her. Smiling to himself he tightened the hug. When it was over he looked back into her beautiful eyes just like Yuna's and blinked. "Don't worry, we'll find your family and then we can all go and hear you sing at the Luca stadium just like your mother does, you could even sing along with her" he laughed softly and looked at the horizon where he saw Kilika was getting closer. "We're almost there. I'll get new gloves and we can go visit the Chamber again, hope I don't have to bite another fiend there." He suddenly blushed, remembering he never actually told how he killed the monster at Besaid... and didn't mean to since he did it in such a savage way.

…

Serenity smiled brightly at Silver. "Me, sing with my mother? I think I'd be booed off the stage in favor of the Lady Yuna and Miss Tallulah." Serenity laughed lightly and looked out to the horizon as well. "I hope Kilika Temple is in better shape than the one back home." Serenity didn't stare at the horizon for long, for she had looked back at Silver. "Bite? You bit the fiend and killed it?!" She asked him, thunderstruck.

…

Silver froze for a second and then showed a huge grin of someone that is embarrassed at the same time he scratched the back of his head. "Let's just say that he bit me so I had to bite him back." He laughed, nervous.  
  
_Ok, it's official, you are a Romantic-moments' spoiler!  
  
I know, now can you shut up for once?  
  
I'm always quiet, I'm your brain and I never seem to work.  
  
Shut up!_  
  
Silver had the sudden long to change to topic once again. "And it's not true, fiends don't taste like chicken." Again he laughed and erased the grin from his face, replacing it with a soft smile. "Well, you have to sing someday with your mom at least for me." He got closer to her face and whispered in her ear. "Cause I'm sure you can beat Tallulah." With that he looked away, at the island, wanting to be home once more.


	18. Kilika Port

****

Kilika Port

As the boat pulled into the dock, Lhinx noted a lot of New Yevon guards roaming around.  
  
(I wonder what's going on...) The Ronso thought as she stepped toward the guardrail. (Must be somethin' serious...Maybe it regards the temple! I have to get there quickly.)  
  
Then a sudden fearful thought came to the Ronso's mind.  
  
(Isn't....Isn't Kilika temple the fire temple...)  
  
Her eyes shrank.  
  
(Oh no...but I gotta go check it out...I better bring some back up...I hate fire...)  
  
The Ronso had a worried look on her gray/blue furred face.

…

Zephyr was stirred from her sleep by a thud near to her head, and awakened mostly dry. She pulled on her socks, shoes, and gloves and slipped downstairs, hoping no one saw her. She had to check up on he dumbass.  
  
She stepped into the room in which Calix slept, and without thinking, began talking to his sleeping form. "When are you going to wake up?" she muttered, sitting on the end of the bed. Her eyes strayed to the flute, still clenched in his fist. "Why's that little piece of metal worth so much to you? . . ." After a moment, Zephyr noted that his breathing was still rather shallow. She really, really didn't feel like giving him CPR again. . .

…

Serenity looked at Silver, opening and then closing her mouth, at a loss for words. _I suppose it is expected…he is partly a tiger demon after all._ Serenity shivered at the thought of eating a fiend. _But it's still disgusting._  
  
"And it's not true, fiends don't taste like chicken," Silver said, breaking the moment of silence again. Serenity smiled lightly. "Well if I'm ever low on food supplies, I'll be sure to not eat a fiend," Serenity said, and laughed. She then saw and felt Silver getting close to her face, and he whispered in her ear. Serenity blushed deeply at what Silver had said, and looked at him as he looked away. She smiled softly. "I'll see what I can do," She said, and saw that the boat had pulled into the dock in Kilika.  
  
"Oh, wow, Kilika's so beautiful!" Serenity exclaimed, not taking note of the abundance of Yevon guards that walked Kilika.

…

(What the-) Lhinx watched Zephyr go, and curiosity flared. (Oh what the heck.)  
  
The Ronso followed, silence in each padded step and her timing to where Zephyr could not see her. She followed the Guado halfling down to the lower area of the boat and to a room.  
  
(This must be where Calix is. Hmm...) Lhinx looked in and saw Zephyr talking to what looked like a near dead body.  
  
Lhinx said nothing as she watched a very distressed looking Zephyr.

…

Calix sputtered out a mouth full of se water, and sat upright quickly. Coughing like a mad man he looked around the room franticly, until he saw Zephyr. Once the appearance of Zephyr caught his eye Calix jumped back from in the bed in which he was sleeping. "Hell...Hello...." Calix said as his cheeks rushed to a bright cherry color.

…

"It sure is," Silver said, smiling. "I'll go put some clothes on, then I'll get changed when we get to my house." He took off, walking downstairs and straight into the bathroom, where he took his wet clothes and put them on. They not longer stunk of dead Sahagin but the blood wasn't easy to wash. When he got out he tied his gunblade to his belt and looking around he saw Tallulah sitting next to the chocobo's machine room.  
  
"We've arrived to Kilika, Tallu," he said brightly, walking towards her and took her bag, offering her his hand to help her stand up. "You wanted to see the temple too, didn't you?"

…

Lhinx wanted to laugh so hard. (I'm gonna be in trouble for being here, but this is too much…) The Ronso thought with a humored look on her face.

…

Tallulah looked up at him and stood up without taking his hand. "I can manage by myself, Silver. I'm not a girl you have to come running to help me." There was a remarkable angry tone in her voice as she took her staff and began walking down the corridor and upstairs, just to see an unusual number of New Yevon guards. She walked down the deck and finally placed foot on Kilika Port for first time in years.

…

"Took you long enough," Zephyr muttered. "Feeling better? I dragged you out of the water after you passed out. . . you've been out for a couple of hours."  
  
Dumbassdumbassdumbassyouravingstupidmoronicdumbass!!! . . . right. Well, Zephyr decided to save that for later. Once he wasn't quite so red in the face. Geez, she was just keeping an eye on him.

…

(I'm just gonna head for the temple.) The Ronso stepped quickly towards the door to the top deck, not before hearing something like warks from chocobos.  
  
(That's the machine room.) Lhinx thought, and opened the door. (I'm just finding all sorts of places today. But you'd think they'd have found a better way to power the boats. Awe well, I guess this is to keep New Yevon customers coming.)  
  
In the room were chocobos, running and powering the boat. And deeper within the room, she heard someone, a woman, speak and then ducked out of the way as Tallulah walked past.  
  
(I need to get outta here. There's way more room on the dock.) The Ronso thought as she made her way out the door.  
  
(Now to gather the others.)

…

"What a couple of hours?" Calix asked as he rushed to stand up and get his face out of sight, or to go away. "Have we arrived at Kilika yet?" He asked enthusiastically.

…

"What's with you all of sudden?" Silver asked in a very low voice as he saw Tallulah climbing upstairs. He shook his head and took her bag, following. Once on deck he found his blitzball and picked it up, looking for both Serenity and Tallulah before getting off of the ship. "I'm home at last."

…

"Yeah, we just got there, I think," Zephyr informed Calix, standing up herself and shaking out her damp hair, tying it up into its bun. Zephyr straightened her glasses and smirked.  
  
"I have a feeling something's up in Kilika," she said. She didn't have a feeling, as much was apparent from her voice. She knew. "Lhinx is afraid of fire, and it seems like Silver and you have roots in town . . . knowing Silver, the other three chicks will stick to him like glue." Zephyr chuckled to herself, patting the gun at her hip. "It may fall upon me to bust into the temple and see what's going on with New Yevon . . ."

…

Lhinx walked up to the first level deck and down the ramp to the dock. There was an unusually large amount of New Yevon guards, much to the Ronso's displeasure, and she found herself receiving many a suspicious glance.  
  
"Watch yourself, Ronso." One of the guards said, looking up at the Ronso youth with a smug look. "You and your people are not on good terms with New Yevon."  
  
(And I should care because...)  
  
"Guard should watch self." Lhinx said and made her way past.

(Now which way was it...) Lhinx looked around almost helplessly at the nearly packed port town. (Darn. Maybe I should just find the others...)  
  
Lhinx turned around and watched the ramp intently, waiting for anyone else who planned to go to the temple as well. Though she was scared of fire, duty called.

…

"Lady Tallulah!" a guard exclaimed as she got off the ship. She didn't even look at him, as she wasn't in good terms with New Yevon. She walked closer to the Ronso girl. "Going to the temple?" she asked with a small smile on her face. "Let's go first to Silver's house, there we can get all settled and plan what to do next."

…

Calix didn't wait for Zephyr to do anything; he just got up and ran, out the room, up the stairs, to the stern where he picked up his collapsible staff and his cloak, leaving behind his pants. As he ran Calix shifted his staff between hands and slowly put on his trench coat. Once Calix got to the bow, he leapt off the rail and landed harshly, but still landed.  
  
The guards were new and Calix didn't like them, so he immediately looked for his mother's home. As he ran down the boardwalk of wood his eyes darted back and fort many times, not noticing any of the houses. _Mother where are you?_

…

(Awe well, at least she's not nervous around me...but I suppose having a friend like Silver gets one use to non-humans.)  
  
Lhinx smirked and looked around.  
  
"Where are others?" Lhinx asked, a bit concerned with the amount of guards glaring at her. "Lhinx not like New Yevon."

"They are still on the boat," Tallulah said. "Nor do I like Yevon, but it appears to be that they like me, so I don't think we'll have any problem unless the ladiesman up there gets angry. He hates New Yevon like you have no idea, trust me, I know him _too_ well." Tallulah sighed and looked up to wait for the others.

(So she did see him and Serenity...) Lhinx thought. (Love is a fickle thing...and it can wait until later for me for all I care.)  
  
Lhinx remembered a rather irritating and hurtful situation that had happened before she had left Mt. Gagazet then. The Ronso snorted at the thought. (What's done is done...)  
  
"All guards here suspicious." Lhinx said. "Something wrong."

"I know, like if they are planning some great scale operation. Yevon always planning weird things," Tallulah said, not liking one bit to be surrounded by so many 'Yevonites' as Silver called them. "Listen, we'll have to cover Silver, ok? Yevon tends to attack Demons, maybe not by shooting them but with insults and stuff like that. They won't like him to appear. Just, try to prevent him from jumping and biting the neck of some guard."

…

Zephyr stepped onto the deck and off the boat, surveying the scene through cobalt-tinted lenses.  
  
Yevonites everywhere. Bloody morons. She wondered where they figured into Spira's recent crisis, the mystery that drew the Gullwings away from their homes. As she pondered, she approached Lhinx and Tallulah.  
  
"We checking this out or what?" she muttered. The guards gave her odd looks; it took her a moment to realize that, due to the seawater, the effects of her daily hair straightening would be severely diminished. Her hair was absolutely wild, and her Guado descent was obvious; on the contrary, she looked just human enough to make it equally as obvious that she was a half-breed . . .  
  
Just like him.  
  
And, of course, the Yevonites hated the man who had shattered their charade.

…

Calix pushed his way through the half crowded cat walks looking back and forth until he noticed something that he recognized, but nothing came, soon Calix found himself at the edge of the town, where the forest started, and where the paths lead to the temple.  
  
Having nothing better to do, because he didn't really feel like going back through the masses to look for something he most likely won't find, he began to stroll through the semi peaceful paths that cut through the forest....

…

Lhinx nodded.  
  
"Tallulah should negotiate. Yevon not trust Ronso or Guado. We go to temple after we rest at Silver's home. We discuss more later." Lhinx said, eyeing the guards and speaking to both Zephyr and Tallulah.

…

Zephyr blinked and noticed a mop of messy blonde hair bobbing away through the crowd. Oh, brother. The dumbass was running off again.  
  
"Uh . . . I've gotta go grab Calix before he nearly gets himself killed again," she said hurriedly before dashing off behind him. "I'll find you later!" she cried over her shoulder.  
  
Shortly, she emerged on the other side of the crowd, near the forest. "Dumbass . . ." she muttered, and, resigning herself to a very unrelaxing day, shouldered her gun as she entered the forest.

…

"I will," Tallulah said. "But still we'll have to be careful. Non of us is in good terms with the Yevonites, and that may en up in trouble for us. Try to contend yourselves from fighting back if they start insulting you. But if they actually used brute force we'll have to show them who we are."

(And I have a bad habit of getting myself into trouble.) The Ronso thought. "Good idea. Lhinx can hold temper," Lhinx said.

…

Calix continued to travel through the woods still unaware that Zephyr had followed him into the woods, running out of ideas, and getting feelings, mixed feelings of fright, worry, hatred, every thing you could possibly think of. With no other ideas Calix began to run towards the temple._ Maybe there will be answers there._

…

Serenity pulled her arms high above her head in a stretch as she slowly walked down the ramp to the dock. She yawned as she did so, and when she reopened her eyes she saw a number of Yevon guards pointing and whispering among themselves, while the others were busy eyeing Lhinx and Zephyr and Tallulah, though the latter for different reasons. Serenity blinked and stopped in her tracks at the foot of the ramp, slowly lowering her arms and covering her mouth, thinking that her yawning so openly offended them in some way. She cast her eyes downward as she past them on her way towards the others.  
  
"Is that…?"  
"Lady Yuna's daughter!?"  
"She looks just like her during the time of Sin."  
"…Brings back such memories."  
"Let's go greet her!"  
  
Serenity closed her eyes sighing inwardly at those words. When she opened them she had to stop short for a few had decided to crowd around her, as well as some of the Kilika residents.  
  
"Lady Serenity, right? Very pleased to meet the High Summoner's daughter," one of the guards said. Serenity nodded her head in thanks cautiously. She didn't like New Yevon, though didn't downright hate them, either. Her mother held no serious grudges with them, she just didn't trust them very much—and Serenity grew up to that. Plus the fact that the rest of the group was giving the Yevon people dirty looks wasn't helping.  
  
"Please, Lady Serenity!" Serenity turned her head to look at a grandmother and her grandchildren, who handed her some flowers. "I bid the safe return of your mother and her friends." Serenity smiled graciously, squatting down to be in eye level of the children, taking hold of the flowers.

"Thank you," she said. With that, Serenity nodded, signaling her leave, and made her way past the crowd, making sure not to make eye contact with the Yevon guards. _I hope Kai isn't bombarded, too_. Serenity thought, finally reaching the rest of the group.

…

Silver laughed as he saw Serenity being surrounded by fans. But for him the story was quite different. When the guards saw a Tiger Demon stained in blood they immediately aimed their guns at him.  
  
"Stop!" One of them called. "You are not welcomed in Kilika!"  
"I live in Kilika, you stupid Yevon dog," Silver snapped back, not caring about the guns bee aimed at him.  
"You are lying!"  
"I don't need to lie, I'm not the one who adores a fake deity." Silver started to lose his patience.  
"How dare you... monster!"  
  
That was it. Silver dropped Tallulah's bag and threw his heavy blitzball at the guard, making him fall on the water and the ball returning to its owner. "Put those guns down or I'll have to deal with you..." The Yevon guards were now real angry with him, but most put their guns down. "That's better, now let me go and I won't have any of you for dinner..." he showed his fangs to intimidate them as he took Tallulah's bag again and walked towards his friends. "Stupid Yevonites..."

(He handled that well.) "Let them be. Yevon fools," Lhinx said.

Tallulah sighed and walked to Silver. "You crazy?! Yevon people not like us and you start a fight with them!" She looked away with a grumpy face that was already mixed with her feelings of jealousy about him and Serenity.

…

Serenity looked back at the sounds of a scuffle behind her. She saw that the Yevon guards and Silver had gotten into a little something. As Silver grabbed onto a bag and made his way towards them, Tallulah went and approached him and began talking to him, mostly likely about what he had just done. Crossing her arms, Serenity looked over the part of town she could see. It seemed to tropical, much like Besaid—seemed like the island theme, though more modern, as far as islands can get.

"I wonder why there are so many Yevon guards around? And acting so brashly at anything that looks remotely dangerous. Didn't they learn anything over all those years…" Serenity trailed off, not wanting to believe that everything that her mother and her guardians, and then what the Gullwings group had done, was a waste and falling upon deaf ears, losing itself during the change in generation.

"Where are we heading off to?" Serenity asked to get her mind off things.

"Silver's home?" Lhinx asked.


	19. The Demon's Humble Abode

****

The Demon's Humble Abode

"My place," Silver answered Serenity, ignoring Tallulah's reproach. "There we can rest and plan what to do next... and I can get rid of these clothes... the Yevon dogs keep looking at me like if I was something worst than Sin." He started walking, growling angrily at any Yevon guard that attempted to raise his gun against him.  
  
Away from the dock and right across the river into a small cabin near the jungle, there was Silver's little home. Two story hut, a small table and kitchen on the first floor. Upstairs was Silver's bedroom and a small bathroom. It wasn't much but enough for a single Tiger Demon. He dropped Tallulah's bag on a couch near the kitchen and collapsed on it. "Make yourselves at home, welcome to the Lair of a Blitzer." He wasn't kidding, blitzball items all around, along with many decorative daggers and swords hanging from the walls.

…

Lhinx looked around.  
  
(Lian and Ayde told me of this town. They said it was a nice place to live, but onto more important business.)  
  
"New Yevon here. May be trouble at Temple. We should go to Temple." The Ronso said. "When more guards, day or night?"  
  
(Zephyr and Calix went on ahead, I hope they're okay...) Lhinx thought.

…

Zephyr tired of her position as stalker, and sprinted up behind Calix. She ran right past him, then turned on her heel and stopped him in his tracks.  
  
"Where did you think you were going without telling anyone?" she asked testily, barrels of her gun glinting in the canopy-filtered sunlight. "I don't like babysitting you, Calix. This place is swarmed with Yevonites, and quite frankly, they're not bound to like you." She blinked her eyes once, but that blink conveyed quite a lot more than words could. They don't like me, either. They didn't like him, is why. They just see a reflection of him in me - which is fine, because it gives them a reason to back the hell off.  
  
Let me come with you, said the blink. Maybe together we can get to the bottom of this mess.

…

Serenity looked around Silver's home, picking up and observing a blitzball item or two and looked at the decorative daggers and swords. "Wow, my dad would love to visit this house…" Serenity said, mostly to herself, though loud enough for any of the others to hear. Serenity carefully placed her bag by the stairs and turned towards Silver.

"Do you have any orange juice?" She asked, then thought for a moment before speaking again. "And a bathroom. For after the orange juice." She bit her bottom lip to stop from laughing again, and at herself no less, and shrugged sheepishly. "Oh, and a vase and some water for the pretty flowers here," Serenity said lastly, taking the time now to smell its fragrance.

…

"I would really love for you to come with me... but I don't really appreciate your rudeness, and besides, you don't know me, or what I'm like. We have known each other for maybe two days, what gives you the idea that I need to report to you all the time??" Calix stated as his staff extended slowly as he concentrated on that fact.

…

Silver smiled and took off his vest before standing up and going into the kitchen to get Serenity some juice and water for the flowers. "You can all come once we find your parents, as I said I would love a match against your father." He smiled kindly at Serenity as he took his vest up from the wooden floor. "The bathroom is this way," Silver said, walking upstairs to his bedroom, where there could be found even more swords and blitzball stuff. He took off the scarf and then put the gunblade aside, then sat on his bed. "Home at last..."

…

"Calix and Zephyr gone ahead. Temple guards will be problem," Lhinx said. Lhinx hated just standing around, but the thought of the fire temple kept scaring her bit by bit. Zephyr knew of her weakness, most likely why she did not bring her along.  
  
(Going at night my be best. Less guards then and I can move around more easily. Perfect. Or will it be too late. I need to see the temple for myself. I want to find out what this ring is for.) The Ronso struggled with her thoughts, wanting to go, but not wanting to leave anyone behind.

…

Serenity placed the flowers in the water Silver had given, and placed it by the windowsill. As she took a sip from her juice, she looked at Lhinx. "Oh, had I missed Calix again? And Zephyr, too?" She asked, though not expecting a response for Lhinx had already said they gone ahead. "I hope they'll be all right. I guess this means we'll have to cut resting time short to go after them, then? Or should we wait for nightfall?"

Finishing the drink, she placed the glass in the sink and bowed politely as she left to go use the bathroom. As she reached the upper floor, Serenity found Silver sitting on his head. "Home sweet home, huh?" She asked, smiling sweetly at him. "Which way was the bathroom again?" Serenity pointed towards the other door questionably, though making her way towards it nevertheless.

"I haven't been here for a long time. But my neighbor keeps this place for me." Silver smiled and pointed to the other door next to the one Serenity was walking to. "That one is my closet, the bathroom is the other door," he said, almost laughing. "I'll get changed in the mean time."

…

"You're being a dumbass, that's why," Zephyr said simply, not insultingly. It was just a fact, in her mind. "I don't care how fast you are or how strong or smart or well-equipped you are, you can't take on every challenge this forest and the temple have to offer alone." Zephyr put one hand on her hip, the other still holding her gun to her right shoulder. "Together, we might have half a chance. That's why I followed you. We're probably worrying the hell out of the others, but I'm doing this so you won't get killed. . . just like I saved your sorry ass before, Calix," she added ruefully. "Show a little appreciation to the woman who saved your life, at great personal risk to herself, I might add. . . eh?"

…

Serenity quickly changed her course and made a beeline toward the other door beside it. "Right, I knew that," Serenity looked back at him, smiling embarrassingly, then closed the door behind her. Serenity looked at the mirror first, lightly holding her hand around the golden bullet he had given her. She smiled, then went along on other business.

Once Serenity was inside the bathroom Silver walked to his closet and took out new pants and a leather vest just like the one he had on. Black boots and a new gloves to conceal his claws. He took off his belt and let his pants fall, taking them off along with the old travel boots. He went to another door inside the same closet and took out clean underwear. With that he took off his red boxers and threw them aside along with the old clothing.

…

"I didn't need your help, lady Shiva would have protected me, you silly girl," Calix stated with a hostile tone, but he was to confused to know what he really meant by it. "If you insist on following me around, lets get going".

Zephyr blinked, vaguely remembering a tattoo on Calix's back that she had seen when. . . well. . . yeah. She'd seen the tattoo, is the point. A huge, intricate image of the Lady Shiva. . .  
  
"I wonder. . ." she said under her breath before shaking her head. A slight breeze stirred as her bangs fell into her eyes, and subsided when she pushed them behind her ears.  
  
"Um, yeah," she agreed hastily. "Whatever. Let's just get moving." The halfling continued walking along the forest path, on the alert for Yevonites or for monsters.

…

Serenity flushed the toilet with her elbow, in case Silver was one of those bacteria and the like phobic, and carefully turned the knobs of the sink with both elbows, though it all seemed a bit much. While washing her hands she looked out the window, taking in the Kilika limelight. When she was finished, she closed the tap and looked about the bathroom for a towel to wipe her hands. With all that done, Serenity opened the door and hoped Silver had finished dressing.

Silver jumped back behind the bed when he saw Serenity walking out of the bathroom, blushing in extreme. "Ahh!" He covered his nakedness with his hands, not having his clothing near. "Se... Se... Serenity..." He was real nervous, never been caught naked by anyone.  
  
_... Besides Tallulah..._

Serenity's eyes widened and she screamed in total surprise, turning around as quickly as her body able her to, turning so red it looked as if she had just gotten sunburned. She closed her eyes tightly and put one hand up to the side of her face to act as blinders. "Oh my…Silver I…am so, so sorry!" She held out her other hand to act as her guide out of the room, for she wasn't going to open her eyes until she was safely down the stairs.

"I should have asked if you were ready first!" Serenity tripped over something on the floor, and fell roughly, but was determined to keep her eyes closed and ignore the shooting pain she felt. "I—I'll just be going…now…" She said, deciding to crawl the rest of the way out instead of risking tripping over something else again, though knowing she could easily bump into something else while crawling around blindly.

Silver quickly went and grab his new boxers and put them on, then ran towards Serenity and help her up. "It's ok now," he said, smiling but still blushing like mad. "I'm the one who should be sorry... I was the one who shouldn't be stripping like that... just that... I haven't been home so long..." he laughed nervously.

Serenity kept her eyes closed until she felt that he really had something on. "It's okay now," she heard him say, and Serenity held her breath as she slowly opened her eyes, coming upon his blushing face. She laughed just as nervously as well, feeling that her face was still so hot you could have fried eggs on it.

"No, really, I take all the blame. I…really…it's your own house so…" She squeezed his bare arms lightly then pulled away, slowly walking backwards towards the door. "I think I'll…wait downstairs…with the others…" She said slowly as she walked, then nodded and turned around, quickly going down the stairs.

Silver, still blushing like mad, laughed softly and shook his head. He walked back to where his clothes were and put them on. First his pants, then his belt, vest and gloves and finally his boots and scarf. He picked up his old clothing and threw it inside a small box. After than he walked again to his closet and took out some clean clothing for the journey, putting it inside a black leather backpack. Along with it some more bullets for his gunblade and his mask.  
  
He took a dagger from his wall and put it on the right side of his belt, then his gunblade on the left side and finally picked his blitzball. Silver walked down, now feeling a lot better with clean clothing and prepared with everything he packed. "Well, now we can leave whenever you want," he said, still blushing but smiling.

…

Lhinx had heard the shrill scream, instantly grabbing her poleaxe.  
  
(What the-) Lhinx then watched a very embarrassed gunner walk down the stairs toward them.  
  
Lhinx shook her head.  
  
"What now?" Lhinx asked.  
  
(Great, leave 'em alone for a few minutes...) The Ronso thought, almost laughing at poor Serenity.  
  
"We should leave soon. Less screaming outside." Lhinx said bluntly.

Serenity smiled sheepishly at Lhinx, not really wanting to discuss what she just saw and nodded, going into the kitchen to lightly splash her face with cold water as Silver came downstairs. "I'm ready to go whenever you guys are!" Serenity called from the kitchen.

"Well, night isn't coming soon but right now it's our best shot. Yevon is confused and we've got both Lady Serenity and Lady Tallulah," Silver said, walking towards the door. "Though I think all of us going will be useless, we need some to gather what we need for the journey. I propose three of us go into the temple and search for Zephyr and her friend, the rest will gather whatever we need."

Serenity walked out of the kitchen, her face still lightly damp and picked up her bag that sat by the stairs. "Well then, who's going where? Or who prefers to go somewhere?" Serenity asked.

"At least I'm going to the temple, and I'm sure Lhinx is coming for she was the first one that proposed it... so who's coming?" Silver asked, grinning under the scarf.

…

Zephyr continued walking, and raised an eyebrow at a particular knot of roots on the path. That was an eerily familiar knot of roots. "Calix. . ." she said slowly. When he didn't seem to hear, she repeated herself. "Calix, I think we're lost."

…

"Tallulah sing for New Yevon guards while three go to temple. New Yevon give money and items to Tallulah." Lhinx said.  
  
It seemed like the best strategy, sense Tallulah seemed very famous and the New Yevon guards looked like they needed entertainment.  
  
"Find out what New Yevon have planned next. We count on you." Lhinx said seriously to Tallulah.

Kai walked up to Silver and the others. "Well, I know this is corny but I'm going wherever Serenity goes," he says with complete and utter seriousness.  
  
Serenity hid her smile, for what Kai said was in fact corny. But he seemed completely serious, so she felt that smiling would be disrespectful. "All right then. So that means Lhinx, Silver and Tallulah will be going to the temple. Kai and I will get any supplies that we need and we'll meet back…at Silver's house?" Serenity suggested. "That sound good to everybody?"

"Good idea," Lhinx said. (This'll probably work better anyways. New Yevon'll definitely listen to the children of Lady Yuna.) "We go and see what wrong in Kilika Temple and help Calix and Zephyr," The Ronso said.

"That sounds good enough for me as long as your don't forget our silent Al Bhed friend," Silver said, laughing and moving his head towards Lucine who was sitting on a chair. "Lhinx and I are really the only ones not really liked by Yevon, so if they caught us we will be able to fight back. It's settled then: Serenity, Kai and Lucine go get our stuff, Tallulah distracts the guards and Lhinx and I go into the temple. We meet here as soon as possible, ok?"

Lhinx nodded in agreement. She then pulled out the ring she had found in her pocket. She held it in the palm of her paw, looking it over. She then noted how the ring glowed like fire. (It must be fire protective equipment. A fire ring! It's too small for me, but maybe if I just keep it with me, it'll protect me from fire attacks.)

"Good, it's decided then." Kai was relieved in the inside that he was going to be with Serenity, because at the present moment she was all the family he had left and his family was incredibly important to him.

"Ok, I'll catch their attention. But Yevon won't fall for it completely, they will leave guards at the entrance of the Cloister. You'll have to knock them out cold," Tallulah said. "No killing anyone, hear that Silver?" Tallulah knew what Silver was capable of, especially when it came to dealing with New Yevon.


	20. The Plan: Executed

****

The Plan: Executed

Serenity laughed and then stood in the middle of Kai and Lucine, linking her arms with each of theirs. Looking at them now, they looked like 3 out of the 7 people from Lady Yuna's group. "Yeah, Lucine, you've been quiet lately. Maybe you're coming down with something." Serenity waved at the group with both hands still linked with the other two, and turned around, heading back toward the port. "I think I saw a merchant back there somewhere, under the second story…" Serenity commented as the group walked along the docks.

Kai smiled because it felt like the days from when he and Serenity were young and they had to go to the local market to get things that their parents ordered. He went along with Serenity and Lucine.

…

"Maybe we just scare the guards," Lhinx said, grinning enough to show her teeth. "Ronso howl like fiend howl. Both scary."

…

Silver walked into the jungle along with Lhinx and Tallulah, feeling the fresh shadow of the trees over his head. "Ok, maybe it's better if Lhinx and I stay here and climb up to the temple by the other side. You go up the stairs and start singing. That'll be our chance."

(There's another way into the temple?) Lhinx thought. (How? Elder Kimahri told me only the stairs. Maybe it has to do with the river.)

…

As they neared the local Kilika merchant, several more people had come down to the main level, hearing about the arrival of the famous songstress Tallulah and Lady Yuna's children. Serenity helped Lucine find a place to sit under the shade, for she really did some a bit off. A small group of children then crowded around Kai, all wanting him to sign their assorted blitzball items, along with a fair number of girls. Serenity shook her head and kept in her laugh, and made her way inside the little 'shop' of the Kilika merchant. The lady looked up.  
  
"Oh, thy Lady Yuna has returned!"  
  
Serenity abruptly stopped in her tracks then came closer to her.  
  
"Oh, nay, beg my pardon…though, it can't be, Lady Serenity! I haven't seen you since you were a wee child. And your brother, Kai?"  
  
Serenity laughed and squatted down in front of her crate, which she used as a table. "Oh, Kai's being bombarded by future blitzers and future wives," Serenity joked. The lady laughed as well, and Serenity smiled as she began looking through the items.

…

Kai was taken back by all the people who ran up to him. He gladly stood there signing their stuff. But he thinks to himself, _Why is it that I am the only one attacked my all these people? _"There you go." He says as he signs his last blitzball for a small boy. As the children leave he notices that a few of the girls didn't leave. "Um yes how can I help you?" He asks them but all he gets is giggles.

…

Serenity felt the lady staring at her, and she knew that she wanted to ask her all sorts of things. Picking up a small case of 24 potions, Serenity decided to break the tension. "Do you…know why there are so many New Yevon guards walking the docks of Kilika?" Serenity asked, looking at another case that had a mix and match of antidotes, eye drops, softs, holy water and echo screens. The woman laughed bitterly, and Serenity turned to see a couple of Yevon guards chasing a group of children as they passed by the shop.  
  
"Darned if I know, Lady Serenity. Those Yevonites, always up to something, I tell ye."  
  
Serenity put on a smile and nodded. _A definite Youth League supporter. _  
  
"You may want to head off across the sea, to the new Youth League headquarters they built up by there."  
  
Serenity looked back up at the merchant. "Oh, that pink building that looks like a coral?"  
  
The woman nodded and smiled. "Yes, that's the one child. Those two are going at it like always. If Yevon is up to something, the Youth League is bound to know some odd tidbit."  
  
Serenity nodded her thanks, and decided to take the mix-and-match of status aliment cures as well. She would have bought an accessory, too, but didn't have the money. As she pulled out her money to pay, the woman shook her head. "Please, my lady, the price is half." Serenity took the women's hand and paid in full.

"A country cannot live on half a salary, dear merchant." The woman smiled, and as Serenity stood to leave with the items, she called her one last time. "At least accept this as part of my gratitude." Serenity held out her hand as she placed a Twist Headband in her hand. It cost more than double of what she had paid for the items, but Serenity wasn't about to be rude and not accept it. "Thank you," Serenity said simply, and walked out.  
  
As she neared Kai and Lucine, she still found him surrounded by some girls, and she looked around noticing that some more Yevon guards were approaching them. She stood close to him and whispered so they would not overhear. "A Youth League HQ is on the other side. They might know something." She glanced back around at the Yevon people. "And we might need to do something about these guards, too, especially if they're heading back to the temple."

…

"Ok, will do," Tallulah said, for the moment forgetting about her problems with Silver and Serenity and climbing upstairs. Once she got to the balcony she was stopped by one of Yevon guards.  
  
"Fool!" Another guard yelled, "She is Lady Tallulah! At ease, men."  
  
Tallulah looked at them and faked a smile as they gathered around her. She walked to the center of the round-shaped area and took out her mic from a small bag under her purple sarong.  
  
"Wishing on a dream that seems far off,  
Hoping it will come today.  
Into the starlit night,  
Foolish dreamers turn their gaze,  
Waiting on a shooting star.  
  
But...  
What if that star is not to come?  
Will their dreams fade to nothing?  
When the horizon darkens most,  
We all need to believe there is hope!  
  
Is an Angel watching closely over me?  
Can there be a guiding light I've yet to see?  
I know my heart should guide me but...  
There's a hole within my soul!  
  
What will fill this emptiness inside of me?  
Am I to be satisfied without knowing?  
I wish then for a chance to see,  
Now all I need desperately...  
  
... Is my star to come..."  
  
Tallulah collapsed on her knees, as the song was her favorite one but at the same time the one that made her cry a river. Her mic was a powerful one, and helped by the echoes she was sure that at least Kilika Port heard her singing the song Silver wrote for her before they took different roads.

Silver was at the edge of tears when he heard Tallulah singing the very last song he wrote for her. Taking his mask out of his bag he put it on not to show his weakness to the Ronso. "That's our cue," said Silver and began climbing the rocky path up to the temple. That way they would avoid the Yevon guards. What was a small hill for a Ronso and a Tiger Demon? Jump after jump, cliff from cliff and in a minute they were there, hiding behind a rock for as Tallulah had prevented there were four guards watching over the temple's entrance.  
  
"We try knocking them out cold or do we scare the Hell out of them?" He asked Lhinx, getting his blitzball ready to strike if she decided it was better to put them to sleep.

…

Serenity looked up at the sound of a song, and instantly knew it was Tallulah distracting the guards. Serenity looked back down at eye level, and noticed that most, if not all, of Kilika had stood at a standstill, listening to the music. Serenity bowed her head and listened carefully as well. The song seemed to be filled with much more meaning than the one she had sung back on Besaid, for by the end of it the resonance of her crying came over distantly through the sound waves.

Serenity closed her eyes softly and turned her head away from Kai and Lucine. She knew this had to be another one of those things that bound Tallulah and Silver tightly together. _He's just your guardian, Serenity. Don't think anything else_. Serenity opened her eyes as the sound of running footsteps, and found that some of the people were running towards the way that led to the Temple. The Yevon supervisors yelled at some of the Yevon Guards that her begun running as well.  
  
"Guard your posts, men!" They bellowed, and though most stayed to obey, the younger guards pretended they didn't hear and kept on running.  
  
_…I'm sure Tallulah will be able to stop them all from getting into the temple._ Serenity thought. She looked back at Kai and Lucine and smiled, brushing some of her hair that had fallen onto her face. "I guess they're doing just fine. Come on, let's get going." Serenity headed for the nearest stairs and began climbing up.

…

Impressed guards that were trying to help her up soon surrounded Tallulah. She did so after a few moments, tears still rolling down her cheeks. She sobbed and tried wiping her tears off her face with her left hand. When she stood up each and every one around began clapping and cheering, some even whistling and Tallulah bowed, as a good songstress should. She then looked up at the Temple and waited, hoping Silver and the Ronso were now inside.  
  
Tallulah tried to think of another song to buy Silver some more times but in that very moment some Yevon guards just climbed up to the balcony. "Lady Tallulah you are to be taken out of this jungle. The temple is not safe," said the one who seemed to be the leader. "I'm not going anywhere, not only this men but all of Kilika can hear me only from here and I'm in the middle of my concert."  
  
"I'm sorry, Lady Tallulah, but it's direct orders from our Great Priest." The guard grabbed Tallulah's arm and she hit him with her staff. "Don't touch me!" The guard hit the ground hard. "I'm performing my concert with or without your so called Priest's authorization. I have no bonds with New Yevon so I don't have to follow any of your orders!" She walked to the center once again and took her mic once again.

…

"If confrontation can not be avoided, we fight," Lhinx said, pulling out her poleaxe. "Sounds like we have to fight thought." (Is he alright? His voice sounded a bit shaky…awe well.)

"You got it." Silver stood up all of sudden and threw his blitzball hard against one of the guards who were knocked out cold. As the ball returned to Silver he kicks it in the air and it knocks a second one, and before the other two could even move Silver had jumped on both of their heads and kicked them, putting them to sleep as well. "Ok, let's go in!"  
  
Silver ran inside the temple. Not a priest inside for all of them was listening to the famous Lady Tallulah. He opened the door that led to the Cloister and waited for Lhinx at the elevator.

…

As the trio walked the decks of Kilika towards the East Side of the second port area, Serenity walked in silence, thinking. It was another one of her mother's traits that she had developed. As they walked up to the boat and the few people who stood there, looking out at the water and the Youth League, Serenity hesitated and stopped, turning to look at Kai and Lucine.

"You know…we haven't had a peaceful boat ride in all the times we've been taking it lately…and mum and dad and the others…they disappeared on a boat in the middle of the ocean, didn't they? Or something…maybe it's some kind of connection…" Serenity crossed her arms and looked towards the boat that was heading for the island Youth League headquarters. "I hope this ride's a bit tamer."

…

"Where Calix and Zephyr? Should be here by now." Lhinx said.  
  
(Uh oh...they can't be lost...crud, we did rush through the jungle, but why didn't I find any sign of the two?)  
  
"What's going on in here?" A voice asked from near the entrance.  
  
The Ronso then heard footsteps behind her.  
  
(Uh oh...)  
  
The Ronso ran as quickly and quietly as she could to the elevator chamber.

As the elevator went down, Silver took off his scarf. "I've lived here for a long time and still never been in here," he said. "I didn't know it would be so hot inside." Silver sighed and smiled, sweating already from the humid inside the Cloister.

Lhinx wiped her forehead with her large paw like hand.  
  
(I knew it would be warm, but this is really stretching it...)  
  
Lhinx hated extreme heat. A lot of Ronso did as well, but the few who didn't, had trained themselves by living in Bikanel or by fight fire enemies a lot.  
  
(If it weren't for this fire ring I'd be in trouble.) Lhinx said, remembering her accessory in her pocket. A familiar scent then caught the Ronso's nose, partially triggered by animal given instinct.  
  
"Fiends here." Lhinx said.

"Yes... smell like ash doesn't it?" Silver sniffed the air. "Darn it, so there's another here. I haven't told the others, but on Besaid we, Serenity and I, ran into one very rare fiend inside the Chamber of the Fayth. Better be careful." He drew his gunblade as the elevator reached the bottom and to the short corridor that led into the Cloister of Trials. Nothing there yet. "Ok, here we go."

The Ronso youth looked around, her ears twitching in all directions. She sniffed the air, finding the strong odor of a fire fiend. "It's nearby, watching for us," Lhinx said, looking around.

"There are many…better be careful," Silver said, walking inside the Cloister. A sudden rush of heat got to them and Silver was almost taken aback by it. "Darn…it's so hot in here!"

…

Serenity leaned against the walls of one of the buildings. Apparently, no ship was sailing over to the island headquarters, hearing of some of the mishaps that other ships had undergone on Spira's waters. Serenity brushed her hair out of her face, and looked at Kai and Lucine. They were just as bored as she was. Without having access to the Youth League, and having already collected all the necessary items, they were stranded until the others came back from their mission.  
  
"Oh, this is pointless. We're useless here," Serenity said, and stood up. They already took several tours around Kilika, and been followed around by a fair number of Kilika residents and Yevon guards alike. "Let's just go over to the temple and see if they need any help. Zephyr and Calix are still MIA as far as we know." _And if Kilika Temple is anything like the one back at Besaid, they're going to need all the help they can get._ Serenity thought, but chose not to say that aloud. With that, Serenity led the way into the forest.

…

Silver walked slowly inside of the Cloister, the heat almost unbearable. He looked around and sniffed the air. He could smell the fiends around, but he couldn't see or hear any, not even with his beyond-human senses. Step by step both of them moved deeper inside, not a sound but the smell was more intense as they approached to the Chamber of the Fayth. Finally they reached the end of the corridor and some short stone steps. By what he'd heard there used to be a firewall there.  
  
"Ok, if this is supposed to be the fire temple why isn't there any fire?" he asked almost to himself but he was sure the Ronso could hear it. "Maybe it's a trap, though I don't think any fiend is that smart. But on the other hand that fiend Serenity and I met in Besaid wasn't as anything I've ever seen. What you think, Lhinx?" Silver turned to his friend, hoping she would tell him what she was thinking.

…

The group had stopped at one of the many crossroads. Serenity took a look down each of the three ways they could have gone. They knew the first turn to the right was a complete dead end, so that only left two. "They should really have maps for these…" Serenity mumbled. "No wonder Zephyr and Calix got lost in here…" Serenity turned and looked back at Kai and Lucine as a group of Yevon guards rushed past them, taking the road that led straight ahead. Serenity perked up and clapped her hands together then pointed straight ahead. "Well, that was easy enough! Forward march!"

…

"Yeah," Calix stated as he eyed the surroundings. "This does seem oddly familiar," he finished, constantly making sure to catch a glimpse of the Guado as he checked the surroundings.

…

Lucine followed Serenity and Kai down the forest path. So much had been going on, it felt like she had just dazed through it all. But now they were headed towards the Kilika Temple. Maybe it would help clear her mind and calm her down, although, she wasn't so sure as they got closer to the temple. She remembered hearing from her mother that this was the temple of the great fire beast, Ifrit. "Great.." She mumbled. "I hate fire."

Serenity turned to Lucine and smiled. "Really? I guess thunder's your thing, then," Serenity commented. She remembered her mother telling her about Lucine's mom, Rikku, and her fear of thunder, and how she eventually got over it. "Hey, maybe you'll get over it! You may just have to camp out in the temple for a week." Serenity giggled. The Yevon Guards they had been following took a sudden right, and Serenity had stopped again. There were, again, two other paths to follow. "Um…which way, guys? Should we continue to follow? Or maybe Zephyr and Calix are somewhere around here."

…

Zephyr was getting progressively more annoyed with Calix. Why did he even come in here in the first place? What possessed him to run off alone? She didn't take the time to ask him, or to consider the fact that he was never an official part of the group in the first place. While he was turned around, trying to get his bearings, she dashed through the undergrowth towards the temple.  
  
And about bloody time, too. She noticed that the guards were all out from some rather nasty blunt traumas. . . Silver's doing, she had little doubt. Zephyr stepped over their prone bodies without a care, shouldering her gun as she walked into the temple.  
  
She'd been there before. It seemed different now, which didn't surprise her very much. The heat was humid, a heat one would associate with decaying flesh, not the dry feeling of flame-purged air.  
  
The halfling smirked. Something very interesting had been at work here. With that, she stepped into the cloister. In spite of her relatively heavy clothing, the heat didn't seem to bother her.  
  
The fires had gone out. It was about time.

…

Serenity was right. Fire was definitely _not_ her thing. "Well," Lucine said, walking casually down the path. "I would recommend we split up and check the paths, but I think we're already split up enough. From the others, that is." She walked towards the beginning of the path that the guards had taken. Carefully she examined it, checking the leaves and dirt around the area. Then she walked over to the other path, examining it just as closely. Finally she came up with her conclusion. "Yep. I have no idea which way we should take." She gave Kai and Serenity a wide smile.

…

As Zephyr walked, she became increasingly aware of the fact that she was soon going to come upon whatever fraction of the group had come with Silver. They were such a nosy lot, really. Blaming things on Yevon immediately without the slightest consideration of other causes.  
  
The half-Guado waited until she could hear Silver and his comrades up ahead before continuing into the chamber where the wall of fire had once burned.

…

Silver sniffed the air once again and a familiar scent came to his nose. The Guado girl, or so he thought. "Someone's coming," he told Lhinx as he turned around with his hand on his gunblade's hilt, ready. He stood quiet and steady, waiting for whomever was coming after them to appear.  
  
_Please let it be Zephyr, that will save us some time on looking for them..._

…

Serenity nodded. "Yes, I believe any further splitting up is a bad idea…And rather pointless. Even if one of us found the way out, we'd be too far away from each other to even call attention to it." She watched as Lucine began studying the different paths, clasping her hands behind her and swaying to the side gently. She understood why her mother had a knack for doing it. It was quite relaxing.  
  
"Yep. I have no idea which way we should take," Lucine said finally, giving Kai and her a huge smile.  
  
Serenity giggled, then studied the path herself. "Well, this path here that we're on seems to be the largest one, indicating that it's a main road." Serenity moved forward a bit, motioning the other two to follow. "So I think if we shall follow it," Serenity continued as they came upon yet _other_ crossroad_, Honestly, who built this forest?_ She thought, and pointed to another road that led to the right, "We should end up at the steps leading to the temple!" Serenity smiled at them, and went off down the road that went to the right. "I think I can spot the stairs through the bushes!"

…

Aha, and there we have it. Motion. He was tense, probably because of her. Good lad. Maybe you're finally catching wind of how paranoid you've really got to be, in this world.  
  
Zephyr stepped into the chamber, face glistening with beads of sweat. Still, in spite of the sweltering heat, she didn't appear at all uncomfortable.  
  
"The fires are out," she observed, one hand on her hip, the other supporting the massive weapon on her shoulder. "It'd take more than just a fiend or two to manage that, don't you think, Silver?" The fact that the comment was directed to silver was a bit disconcerting. Zephyr's steely gray eyes seemed more intense in the dim, red light of the cloister.

…

Lucine followed Serenity, trusting she was right. As they walked forward, though, she knew Serenity had been right, because she spotted the steps of the Temple also. "Alrighty! We're finally here!" She approached the steps, looking up. There were so many! "Hey! What's up with this?" She asked, frustrated. "The Besaid Temple had, like...five steps. This one has a bazillion!"

Serenity approached the steps after Lucine, and stopped at the base of the flight of stairs, sheltering her eyes from the sun and looked up at the height of the stairs. Lucine was right. It seemed to reach up to the clouds from where she stood. "Wow…you're right. It's going to take us forever to climb these steps," Serenity sighed, and hoped that steps didn't get higher as they went from Temple to Temple. _Well, suck it in, Serenity. Can't be half of what your mother and her friends are if you can't even climb the steps._ "We better get started up or it'll take us all day."

…

Silver let out a sigh of relief and let go of the hilt of his gunblade. "Where were you? We were worried." Silver was almost laughing, feeling much better that he knew where everyone was. "Well, I can smell fiends around, you're a Guado, I bet you can feel their presence."

…

(I'm just glad there is as little fire as possible.) Lhinx thought in relief.  
  
The Ronso couldn't help but feel a little uneasy with the presence of Zephyr and how intense the half-Guado's eyes were. It almost reminded her of their battle.  
  
Lhinx looked around the room, her animal-like yellow eyes focused all around the chamber, looking for anything remotely like what she had found in Besaid.  
  
(There!)  
  
Lhinx looked to the ground, kneeling down and inspecting the ground near the middle of the room close to the door. There were scuffs all in one area of the once smooth flooring.  
  
(There was a struggle. It seems to have occurred recently. And here.)  
  
The Ronso youth noted a dried brown spot near the scuffs. It was large, speckled with similar colored dots all around it. The larger spot looked uneven and smeared, the amount of it being less generous as it approached the door to the chamber. It was not cracked or decayed, showing it was not entirely old, but not entirely fresh either.  
  
(Blood. Someone was hurt in here, but the blood does not lead out toward the door, so they did not leave here. That means then that they went into the chamber of the Fayth.)  
  
"Strong fiend was here. Scent is putrid with fear." Lhinx said. "Someone dragged into chamber."

(But there weren't any missing person reports around town. But that could just be a coincidence. It could be a priest or something.)

…

"Alright, let's get going then.." Lucine said as she started climbing up the steps. As she was climbing, she noticed most of the flames around the steps had either burned out or were very weak. "Wow, that's kind of strange.."

…

"Half-Guado," Zephyr corrected promptly. In her mind, this was a very important difference. "Calix is still wandering around in the woods," she added nonchalantly, smoothing her hair back with one gloved hand. "But everyone is still breathing, to the best of my knowledge. Shouldn't we be going into the Chamber?" she asked, eyebrow raised. "Everything seems to originate there, fairly consistently. . . and there are no fiends out here."  
  
Zephyr didn't smell fiends. On the contrary, she smelled more half-fiends than she had in quite a while. Half-fiends weren't an official category of being as most people were concerned, but a few Guado believed in their existence.  
  
They were an interesting case because they were basically human, with all of the intelligence, but with all of the malice and anger of fiends. Demons were sometimes considered half-fiends, as were Ronso and Guado, although to a lesser extent. Zephyr was amused by the theory, especially given her own background and the source of the theory itself. They really hated him. They'd never stop hating him, either. They created an excuse for him, for halflings everywhere. Half-fiends. It was so easy to read. So damn typical.

"Need to be careful. Enemy is hungry for blood shed," Lhinx said, stepping towards the door. "Fiend will expect door to open loudly and be ready to attack."

…

Serenity decided to keep her eyes on the scenery than focus on the number of stairs. It was like being back on Besaid, up on the mountains…Serenity shook her head. She was going to make herself homesick if she kept comparing the rest of Spira to Besaid.  
  
"Wow, that's kind of strange…"  
  
Serenity ripped her gaze off the sights and looked to Lucine. "What's strange?" she asked, and looked around to see what she was talking about.

After Lucine's comment, Serenity whipped her head around so fast she thought it would fall off. "Um, well, the fire in these torches have gone out," Lucine said, pointing to the side of the steps. "I just thought it was odd, since Ifrit is supposed to keep them lit."

Serenity rested her gaze on the torches, and realized she was right. She never noticed it. "Ifrit…" _An aeon._ "Yes…" Serenity fanned herself. It was still hot even though no fires were going. "This is weird. It's still blazing hot out here, and the torches aren't even lit…" She looked back at Lucine. "Maybe the priests in the temple know something."

…

"This definitely has something to do with that weird fiend back in Besaid. And I bet my tail these two aren't the only temples with this playful creatures running lose." Silver kept walking deeper into the chamber, his tiger-eyes adjusting to the lack of light "Darn it, there is no fire but it still is so damn hot in here."  
  
As he cleaned some sweat forming on his forehead with his glove he thought about Tallulah. He was sure she and Serenity were together along with the others, and the idea of having to deal with two raging girls fighting each other was just... too frightening, almost made him wish those fiends would eat him before he got outside. "Ok, we're almost there, ready?"

Lhinx nodded and went to the door.  
  
"I will lift the door," Lhinx said as she edged her fingers under the crack of the pointed door. "Then hold it and let you two in and follow after, guard back."  
  
(Hope this works.) Lhinx thought.  
  
"Say when ready," the Ronso youth said, looking back at the two.

Silver crouched next to Lhinx and edged his fingers just like her under the door and looked at the Ronso with a grin across his face. "You thought I was letting a lady do all the hard job? Two strong non-humans are better than one. Ok, on the count of three. One... two... three!"

Lhinx let out a grunt as the two lifted the door. (Wow, that was way easier then last time.) The Ronso thought. "We all go in at same time," Lhinx said, looking to Zephyr.


	21. The Collapse of Kilika Temple

****

The Collapse of Kilika Temple

Tallulah was already a little tired of singing for the Yevonites when she caught a glimpse of Serenity and the others climbing the stairs. Tallulah kinda felt relieved by having them to save her from singing anymore for Yevon guards, but at the same time a rush of anger took all over her body when she remembered Serenity trying to steal Silver from her. She had been wondering, what if Silver didn't want her back? No. Letting go of him wasn't in Tallulah's plan, she was getting him back even if that meant keeping Serenity away from him, one way... or another.

…

"Move aside!" Silver had barely time to move before a large fiend jumped out of the chamber. Dog-like... in fact one of the biggest canine fiends he'd ever seen. The fiend turned around and faced them, growling just as another one appeared from a dark corner of the waiting room. Exactly like that one from Besaid, just that this one was red as a shrimp and wasn't carrying the ball and chain, but a huge battle-axe like Lhinx.  
  
Silver let go of the door to draw his gunblade and face the two creatures now in front of him. "Not again..." Silver let his bag fall on the ground and took his mask, putting it on and ready to fight.

…

As they reached the first landing, the huge square that led to another flight of stairs to the temple, Serenity noticed Tallulah there. The Yevon Guards still hung around though she didn't look like she was going to be singing again for them anytime soon, though that didn't seem to bother them now that they had more people to gawk at. Serenity smiled at her and waved her hand lightly in the air. "Tallulah! You were great! All of Kilika heard you!"

Tallulah suppressed a grumpy sound when she saw the girl she considered her rival waving happily at her. She faked a smile, and walked towards her, Lucine and Kai. "That song, Silver wrote it for me," she said almost in a proud voice, hiding her point in the words she just spoke. "It has been so long since I gave a concert here, I wanted to sing a special song."

…

Lhinx looked to the chamber and kept her hand under the door.  
  
Lhinx snorted and drew her weapon out, looking at the red lizard like fiend before her. The creature hissed in a challenging way, arousing a deep anger in the Ronso youth.  
  
The creature charged at her.  
  
(Crud, there's not much room in here, but I can't go in the chamber, not yet.)

Lhinx removed her hand swiftly, drew her weapon and blocked the creature's axe blade from making contact with her torso. Lhinx let out a loud distinctive growl and pushed her opponent back. The creature moved it's right leg to stop itself from falling, skidding rather to a halt and charging quickly back. The creature charged again, being met with a quick swipe of the Ronso's poleaxe.  
  
(Obviously this will be a contest of strength....) The Ronso thought. (Good. My kind of fight. While we keep these two busy, Zephyr can take 'em out with some of her firearms.)

Silver looked at Lhinx fighting the fiend and he decided to take care of the other one, the dog looking. "Fight between dogs and cats continue, eh?" he joked, ready to attack. The canine jumped on him, and by luck he manage to avoid it. It was quick, and he knew that if it managed to push him down to the ground her was as good as dead. Silver charged towards the fiend and jumped again just before it bit him. This time he left a slash on it's leg and the fiend fell.  
  
_Damn you..._  
  
He ran towards it to deliver the final blow when something jumped on his back. Another fiend, smaller or so he could tell, monkey size but real heavy.

…

Serenity closed her eyes, feeling if she kept them open that it would give away whatever pain jabbed at her, for the eyes are the windows to the soul. She smiled and nodded at Taullah. "Yes, I figured it was something between you two. The one back at Besaid was the same as well. Are…all of your songs like that?" Serenity asked, genuinely curious now. Feeling she had to brace herself for Tallulah's answer, she opened her eyes again while she could and cast a look upward. "Did they get in alright?" she asked in a low tone so none of the guards would hear.

Tallulah almost grinned as she felt the trembling in Serenity's voice. "Not really, only special songs. Most of my songs are better to dance and for those I usually wear hot pants or something like what your mother used to wear in her concerts." Tallulah walked closer to Serenity and whispered "And yes, your cute _boyfriend_ made it into the temple alright." She marked the word 'boyfriend' with a soft voice filled with hidden anger, again trying to tell Serenity she had no chance with Silver.

Lucine stepped back, folding her arms and leaning against the temple wall. She listened to Tallulah and Serenity battling it out...and heard every word. Even Tallulah's smart-ass comment about Silver being Serenity's boyfriend. Jeez, Tallulah was a _bitch_. Of course, she would never say that to her face. Secretly, Lucine enjoyed watching the rivalry between the two. Of course she felt sorry for Serenity, so she would stay on her side. They may even think of a way to get Tallulah back for all her rude remarks. Wouldn't _that_ be fun, Lucine thought.  
  
She walked over towards the two, breaking up the catfight. "Well now, what do you think about getting inside the temple to find the others?"

Serenity leaned back slightly as Tallulah came closer to her and whispered, "And yes, your cute _boyfriend_ made it into the temple alright." Serenity's eyes widened in both shock and a tinge of fear. Serenity shook her head and took a couple steps back, bumping into a Yevon priest. "I…he's not my…we're just friends…" As she apologized to the priest she bumped into, who didn't seem to be annoyed at all for her lineage to Lady Yuna, Lucine came up to them, and Serenity closed her eyes and let out a relived sigh. "What a great idea, Lucine! Let's go…" Serenity took one last look at Tallulah then made her way down the stairs into the darkened temple.

"Better if we wait for them," Tallulah said, grinning just a little "The ladiesman may get distracted if the three of us cute girls get inside. He may be flirting instead of looking for what they went there." Tallulah giggled and turned around, looking at the Yevon guards. "You better be alright, Silver," she said to herself, sighing.

Hearing what Tallulah advised, Serenity stopped halfway down the steps and sat down. She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees. She didn't feel like going back up and being harassed by Tallulah, even though it felt hotter in the temple. Serenity laid her head in her arms, her eyes open. Her mind was filled with a bunch of things, and all she wanted to do is just be blank…

…

Silver felt a sharp pain as the monkey-like creature slashed his back, opening the wound he already had from the fiends in the boat. Quickly turning around her punched it as sent it against a wall. Without a second to lose he be-headed the canine fiend with his blade before it could get up and faced the monkey, which jumped up and hung from the ceiling.  
  
"Come down here!" he yelled, suddenly remembering Zephyr and Lhinx and looked around for them.

"Shield your eyes and stand back!" Zephyr cried as she pulled out a pair of dark grenades. Hurriedly wiring them together and activating them, she tossed the blaster mine into the melee, hoping that her comrades had taken her advice.  
  
She held her gun at the ready in case one of the fiends - no, she reminded herself, they, were a particularly brutal breed of half-fiend - approached her. For now, they seemed quite preoccupied with Silver and Lhinx, which was just fine with her.  
  
The halfling was mildly surprised that the creatures were hiding in the chamber of the Fayth, but it was predictable. Of course there would be something dreadful in the chamber. It was almost funny that they were half-fiends. . . maybe she'd have an opportunity to share the Guado theories on the subject with the others on the return trip through the cloister. . .

…

The Ronso youth let out a grunt-like growl as she and her opponent continued to push against each other, their pole-axes being the only thing separating their clawed hands from lashing out at the other.  
  
_"Where is the human?"_ Lhinx communicated to the fiend.  
  
_"What concern is it of yours?"_ The lizard asked, opening its lizard jaws and exposing its sharp teeth.  
  
_"I can not allow you to kill and be free from the consequences of such a crime!"  
  
"Who says I killed him?"  
_  
The lizard fiend let out a painful bellow like hiss as a blaster mine went off and took its health down a large notch. Lhinx pushed the creature back and whipped her poleaxe into a battle ready stance once more.  
  
"We are not gaining any progress this way, Ronso, we are too evenly matched. Toss aside your weapon and we'll settle this the traditional way." The lizard demanded in the fiend tongue.  
  
Both combatants lay aside their pole-axes, the Ronso less willing then the fiend. The fiend charged at the Ronso, only for Lhinx to duck to the side quickly and bring down her right fore arm onto the fiends back, forcing it down on the floor.

The fiend responded by whipping it's tail against Lhinx's belly and leaving a long cut that quickly began to bleed. The Ronso clenched it's teeth in anger and let out a short, defiant roar before lifting up the fiend and throwing it against the wall to the right of the door to the chamber and close to the ceiling.  
  
Lhinx could hear a sick crunch like sound as the fiend met the floor of the chamber once more. The Ronso stepped toward the fallen enemy and looked down on it as it rasped for breath through shattered ribs and torn lung. The fiend turned its head up at Lhinx and spat out green-reddish mucus like substance into the cut along the Ronso's stomach before its head fell in death.  
  
Lhinx grasped her stomach, pulling out the majority of the goo.  
  
(What is this stuff? It's so gross!) Lhinx whipped her hand toward the ground, making the goo splatter to the ground. She stepped back a bit, as if the world had shifted a bit.  
  
(Whoa...that was weird...Almost lost my balance.)

Lhinx took out a cloth and wiped her paw off, hoping to get the memory of and the substance itself off and out of her mind.  
  
Lhinx looked about the room at her comrades and could've sworn there were two of each of them for a second.  
  
"Thank you, Zephyr." Lhinx said, remembering the grenade the half-Guado had sent into the fray to aid the two.  
  
Lhinx then looked down at the floor and blinked twice, catching what she thought to be a dancing crack in the ground.

…

Serenity lifted her head up; staring at the door that led to the Cloister of Trails. She put her hands down beside her angrily. Silver couldn't be so disgustingly controlled by his hormones to be distracted if the three of them came in to help. She watched as priests backed away from the stairs at the sounds of roaring, and wondered what was going on in there. But before she could act upon it, she felt as if she was shifting to the side, and almost slid into the wall. Letting out a muffled scream, the effect of trying to keep it in, Serenity backed away from the wall she almost became one with. It seemed like they were going to have a battle in their own right outside the temple just as much as they were having inside the temple.  
  
"What-what's going on?!"

…

"No problem," Zephyr said with a smirk, taking careful aim at the troublesome monkey-like creature on the ceiling. Zephyr fired, and the half-fiend fell within Silver's reach, wounded but not dead.  
  
Zephyr wasn't much into killing things. If she stayed in the background and didn't demonstrate any overly powerful techniques, she'd be appreciated as a good helper, a healer, and a supporter. A good thing to be seen as, she had found.

The Ronso walked over to the chamber door, wondering if opening it again would be wise.  
  
(What if those things had friends? I didn't even think to listen for anything on the other side before...)  
  
Lhinx leaned her ear against the door and felt like her mind was sloshing within the confines of her skull.  
  
(Gaah, what's wrong with me?) The Ronso wondered, rubbing her forehead before trying to focus on the other side of the door again.

Silver looked down at the monkey fiend and smashed his head with his boot, killing it immediately. "Why do you think this is happening? Not fiends, but weird monsters coming out of the temples. Reminds me of something my mother told me a long time ago, when Lady Yuna beat that Vegnagun thing."

"Could...be anything..." Lhinx said. The brain sloshing feeling stopped, being replaced quickly by a heat like sensation instead.  
  
"Hear nothing on other side..." Lhinx said as she stood back.

…

Climbing up to her feet, Serenity still gazed at the wall she almost hit, and climbed up the stairs to the others, not noticing the cracks that suddenly formed on the steps below her as she went up. "Guys, something is really off. And I don't just mean the temples or the abrupt odd actions of the fiends lately…It's like all of Spira's effected." Serenity hugged herself, feeling cold though it was hot. "What do you guys think?"

…

"Ok... let's go then, we have nothing more to do in here, do we?" Silver didn't wait for response as he took his bag again and started walking towards the Cloister once again, a little worried about Serenity and Tallulah being fighting at the moment.  
  
_I've got a bad feeling about this...  
  
You always got bad feelings...  
  
This time is for real, something's not right...  
  
Of course something's not right, your three love interests are out there...  
  
Three?!  
  
Don't tell me Lucine isn't cute...  
  
Yes she is, and so is Zephyr and even Lhinx in her own ways...  
  
Oh come one ladiesman, you like all of them?  
  
I'm no ladiesman...  
  
No? Well you're flirting with this new girl while your girlfriend is around...  
  
SHE ISN'T MY GIRLFRIEND ANYMORE!!!! I got to live my own life now!_

Whatever…

…

Calix turned, then turned back, to see that Zephyr had ditched him. _Oh great.... my advice just needed to kick in now didn't it?_ Not sure exactly of which direction she went, he followed his instincts and found the temple. The area was slightly full of mangled guards, which was a good thing Yevonites weren't exactly his idea of friends.  
  
He continued to travel up the long and semi steep steps of the temple, he was taking his time and pulling in all the sights he could so _if_ he found his mother he could ask what was happening. After a short while Calix came upon the last platform before the Cloister. Calix though this temple, by far was his favorite, partially because it was his home town, and partially because of the structure of it, but the more he thought about it, it was in fact the opposite of lady Shiva, it was Ifrit's housing.... the fire housing....

…

"I think we better get outta here!" Tallulah put her microphone away and hold her staff tightly, moving closer to Lucine and Serenity. The shaking on the ground wasn't a normal earthquake... it was something more. The guards were worried as well and most of them ran back to the port. "You're right, Serenity, this may be the reason your mother left... maybe she wanted to investigate." Tallulah was pretty scared herself, she wasn't much of a fighter and in most of her journeys she had depended on a strong man to look after her. Especially on Silver.

…

Zephyr narrowed her eyes, concerned with Lhinx's somewhat unsteady condition. "You've got a terrible slash wound," she noted, and took Lhinx's arm. She felt the temple shake - no, it wasn't the temple, it felt like everything was trembling, an earthquake - and knew that they needed to get out. She tugged Lhinx behind her, following Silver back through the Cloister of Trials.  
  
This was really. . . bizarre. She felt like now was definitely not an appropriate time to give a lecture on half-fiends. Maybe when the group got back outside. . .  
  
She saw Calix, but hardly took notice of him. She mentally checked off "the stupid blonde guy" from her list of things to worry about. At least he was in one piece, but she couldn't say as much for her friend the Ronso.

…  
  
As Lucine stood close to the others, she could hear a terrible blast from the outside of the temple. "It sounds like the temple is falling apart!" She yelled over the roar of the earthquake. 'What should we do? Just wait here for the other's while we get squished to pieces?" She was torn between the to choices. To wait while the temple crumbled around them, or stay and watch for Lhinx and the rest. "Oh, man, this is _really_ bad!"

"You're right, Serenity, this may be the reason your mother left…maybe she wanted to investigate," Tallulah said, and Serenity nodded silently_. And now…I want to investigate this, too, and find you guys in the process._ Serenity looked at Tallulah, who was looking pretty freaked out.  
  
"It sounds like the temple is falling apart!" Lucine yelled, for now it was terribly loud. Serenity covered her ears so she wouldn't go deaf. "Well standing out here doing nothing won't be any help to them," Serenity yelled as well. "And leaving them in there isn't any better, either. I think we should go in and get them out! They have to notice what's going on! They'll be buried alive in there!"

"Alright, then! Lets go!" Lucine ran up the steps to the Cloister of Trials, skipping every other step. She threw open the door, searching inside for some sign of the others. "I can't see them!" But at this point, the air was so think with dust, it was hard to see much of anything.

Serenity nodded and ran after Lucine, looking back to make sure that all the Yevon guards and priests had ran off and cleared the temple empty except for them. Going through the door she opened, Serenity looked around, coughing because of the dust that hung in the air. Though it was hard to fully see 10 feet in front of her, she could smell blood. "What in Yevon's name went on in here?" Serenity said mostly to herself, for she knew none of the others would know the answer to the question, and jumped to the side as a piece of the ceiling fell down where she was standing.

Lucine started coughing as the piece of ceiling that had fallen sent up more dust. Down the hall she could make out some splashes of color. In fact, they were bright red! "They must have been fighting! Where could they be now, though?" Lucine strained her eyes to see through the dust, and thought she saw some kind of movement now down the hall. She turned towards Serenity. "I think I see something down the hall! Look!"

…

Zephyr finally got out of the cloister, Lhinx dragged behind her. "Chances are this thing's collapsing in a few seconds, guys!" Zephyr said to Lhinx and Silver. After all, it was like most things…a matter of chance.

Lhinx could feel a burning sensation in her skull as she felt Zephyr leading/dragging her along. If she weren't having such a headache, she could've easily run on her own and drag the other two. There wasn't much time.  
  
(I wanted to go into the chamber...blast, stupid earthquake had to choose now to happen just when we were so close.) The Ronso thought as she followed the half-Guado out.

Lhinx looked up and could barely see the outline of what her mind's current state made out to be a Ronso cub, a rather skinny one at that.  
  
(Wait a minute...that's...that's Lucine! And the others!) Lhinx thought.  
  
Then everything began to swirl in Lhinx's sight as her leg's composition had morphed into wobbly plywood.  
  
(We're almost there...) Lhinx thought. (Wow...this place is lookin' weird...oooh, I better warn the captain, the ship's going down the drain....)  
  
Lhinx mentally kicked herself.  
  
(What is wrong with me?!) Lhinx yelled inwardly. (It's like I'm going crazy...)

…

Yes, now Lucine was positive she could see someone down the hall. And as they got closer, she could just make out the shape of what looked to be Zephyr dragging something behind her. Wait...it wasn't something, it was someone! And a very furry someone at that. "Lhinx!" She cried, running through the crumbling hall towards the Ronso and the halfling.

"Lucine!" Zephyr cried. "Come on, we've gotta get out of here! Quit playing hero and run!" The halfling wasn't getting anywhere fast because of Lhinx, who, although she was probably among the strongest in their party, was moving so sluggishly that she seemed almost drugged.

"Hey, you guys are going to be crushed if I don't help you!" She yelled, taking Lhinx's other arm. Jeez, Lhinx is heavy! She thought as she lifted the Ronso up. Ahead she could see Serenity and Tallulah at the entrance to the door. "Alright, Zephyr! We're almost there! Just a little bit further!" She pulled as hard as she could, hoping that she was actually helping.

(Well this is a kick in the ol' pride, yessir.) Lhinx thought as she tried to support herself without the others help, but failing with every forced step. What little control she had was preventing her from crushing her two companions with her heavy bone structure and body.  
  
(I've gotta speed things up. I'm slowing these two down too much.)  
  
The Ronso tapped into a hidden storage of adrenaline as she picked up her pace, hopefully to the relief of the others but it began to increase the burning sensation in her head along with the cut across her stomach.

Zephyr turned to Lucine and flashed her a rare smile. The half-Guado's genuine expressions of happiness were quite rare, as she usually sported a cynical smirk. However, her actual smile was much scarier than any other expression that could be on her face, if one looked close enough; a manic glint was present in her eye, a look easily comparable to that of a past Maester of Yevon.  
  
With the help of Rikku's daughter and Lhinx's sudden power surge, Zephyr finally helped the Ronso out of the Cloister. "Good gods," she muttered, heaving Lhinx just a few more feet away from the doorway before letting go of her. "What happened to you, Lhinx?" she asked. "Did one of the half-fiends poison you?"

…

Silver didn't run as fast as he could. The wound on his back was bad and since Zephyr was helping Lhinx he was slicing the rocks out of their ways. Finally he saw light at the end of the tunnel... then smelled Lucine and the other girls. Rikku's daughter came to help Lhinx and he smiled as he saw neither Tallulah or Serenity where scratching each other's face. "What the Hell is happening to Spira?! Someone really messed up here!" He wasn't sure who could be guilty of something like that, powerful fiends inside the temples, and now they were about to be crushed. "Darn!" Silver froze and then went back, suddenly remembering he left his blitzball inside the Chamber.

…

As they were dragging Lhinx through the hall, Zephyr gave her a quick smile. Shocked, Lucine almost dropped Lhinx to the ground, but managed to heave her back up. _Was that a....a...real smile from Zephyr?_ She thought, finding it hard to believe. But she saw that it was true and so gave her a smile back.  
  
Once they were out of the Cloister, and safe, Lucine looked back to see what had happened to Silver. She peered into the dust, and she could just make out his shape coming closer. Than, all of a sudden, he stopped, as if thinking about something. Then he turned around and started running back towards the chamber of the Fayth. "Silver!" she yelled, "Don't go back! It's not worth it!"

Silver hear Lucine in the distance as he ran back towards the Chamber, avoiding the falling rocks. No matter what anyone told him, that ball was worth everything. It was his dad's last gift, and he wasn't going to lose it. He would never forgive himself if he did. As the wound on his back kept aching he gritted his teeth and kept running. A rock almost fell on him and he punched it away. It was really hard, but he managed to get to the Chamber before the temple collapsed. There it was, his beloved black blitzball.  
  
Silver grabbed it and was about to run back when he saw something on the human-sized fiend's neck. A golden chain, and a glowing pendant hanging from it. He dropped on his knees and took it, suddenly remembering in what situation he was and putting the pendant in his pocket. He took of running, as fast as he could.  
  
_I'm not gonna make it...  
  
Yes you have to make it, two beautiful girls waiting for you out there...  
  
This is about to collapse... it's useless...  
  
Try you stupid cat, try! Think about Tallulah!  
  
She isn't my girlfriend!  
  
Then about Serenity...  
  
I..._

…  
  
The half-Guado just rolled her eyes as Silver ran back inside. Stupid. She didn't care how sacred it was, whatever he'd lost - his life was more important. Why didn't it compute to him that the odds were vastly stacked against him?  
  
Ah well. Zephyr could always calculate the odds better than others around her. It was just common sense.

"Man, what is Silver _thinking_?" Lucine said, pacing around. Now that they were out of harm's way, she sat on the ground next to Lhinx. _Well, I'm sure Silver can take car of himself._ She thought. She turned towards Lhinx, and finally got a got look at her wound. It was a giant slash mark across her stomach. Lhinx was also acting slow and sluggish, and Lucine bet it wasn't just from the loss of blood. "Zephyr, do you think you have an antidote that can cure whatever Lhinx is suffering from?"

…

Serenity stood at the base of the ever-collapsing temple. The others were a bit farther behind her, out of harm's way, but she couldn't completely leave as long as Silver was still in there, even if he was half a demon. How could he go back in there? What was worth more than life itself? Serenity clenched her hands into fists beside her, then cupped them around her mouth to amplify what she was going to yell, hoping that it would guide him back. "SILVER!" Serenity seemed to fidget in her spot, unsure whether she should run in there or stand out here. If he didn't appear soon she was going to run in there regardless.

…

Lhinx looked down at the slash across her stomach.  
  
(It doesn't look too deep, but what on earth was that stuff the fiend spat into it...did he plan this...)  
  
Lhinx shook her head quickly and slumped down onto the seat of her pants. She took out the towel she had used to wipe off the mucus and looked at it.  
  
(Can't use it again, otherwise I'll just make the cut worse. But the bleeding hasn't stopped yet.)  
  
Lhinx took out another of her Besaid potions and drank it, feeling a tad better but not by much.  
  
She looked up suddenly as Serenity yelled into the temple for Silver.  
  
(What's that idiot up to now? Suicidal dolt.) Lhinx shook her head with a slight grin. (Awe well, he better hurry back.)

…

Silver heard someone calling his name. Something in that voice gave him enough strength to run faster. His will was set now, he wasn't going to die yet... he wasn't going to die...  
  
._.. till I reunite Serenity with her family...  
_  
Another rock and Silver kicked it, jumping over the small crack where there used to be the fire curtain. He tried to push his legs to the limit as he saw the light again, and stopping a second he jumped out of the temple and rolled down the stairs, landing on his back, and the temple completely collapsed just seconds later. "Ouch..."


	22. The Secrets Behind the Half Fiends

****

The Secrets Behind the Half-Fiends

That was it. It was taking too long. Where is he? Just as Serenity readied herself to run inside, Silver came jumping out of the temple. She gasped and turned as she watched him roll down the stairs. Taking two stairs at a time, Serenity went down the stairs and stopped herself when she was right beside him. Serenity hovered over him, before kneeling down beside him. "Silver…are you okay?"

Silver grinned as he saw Serenity next to him. He kept one eye close for some reason, his forehead ached and he was sure he had some wounds around the body, but it didn't matter. He lifted his blitzball in triumph and laughed softly. "Got it!" he said, trying to sit up. "I'm ok, what about you?" He laughed again.

Serenity stared at him as if he was mentally insane. "You…you went back in for your blitzball?" She asked him. Sure, it obviously held some sort of high personal attachment to him, but to risk his life for it… Serenity couldn't help smiling at him though as he laughed. She wasn't sure why he was laughing, but it was contagious. She held onto him lightly, keeping him from sitting up. "I'm…fine, now that you're here…"

Serenity searched through the supplies they bought back at the port, though she slowed her pace. Tallulah would most likely come along any minute now, shove her out of the way and tend to Silver herself. "You should stay lying down…who knows what kind of physical condition you're in now, let alone mental…what were you thinking?"

…

"I probably have something for it," Zephyr said, looking through her many pockets. She removed a bottle of violently purple liquid - a dispel tonic - and a hi-potion, and proceeded to pour the contents of both into a larger flask. The resulting liquid was a sparkling, opalescent blue. She handed the flask to Lhinx.  
  
"Drink up," she advised, tossing the empty vials and standing up. "I think there are too many pheromones changing hands around Silver's way, and everyone is completely forgetting about healing him. . ." The halfling couldn't help but smirk. Lhinx and she - the "unattractive" ones, apparently, although she could care less - were the only ones immune to the tiger demon's charm. There was Lucine, of course, but the girl seemed so childlike and carefree, not to mention determined to find her mother, that she just couldn't care less about Silver and his pretty face.  
  
Stupid pheromones. Who needed them?  
  
With this in mind, Zephyr made her way over to Silver to evaluate the damage.

…

Silver just felt something deep inside his heart when Serenity held him. He smiled kindly and then turned it into a grin. "I'm ok, really. And I know I may be crazy, but this ball is the last memento from my father, I'm not going to lose it. Though my dad said it attracted bad luck... it isn't true". Silver smiled at Serenity again and raised his head a little. "Both times I've got in trouble because of this ball I ended up in your arms." He blushed madly, and suddenly felt his talking was stupid... but it was something he needed to tell.

Zephyr snorted with laughter, standing behind the two, but shortly quelled her giggle attack. "Whenever you're quite done," she said politely as she could manage, "I think those wounds of yours could use healing, Silver. . ." The halfling already had a couple of hi-potions in her hands. She'd use an X-potion, but she only had two of the damned things and they were nearly impossible to find in this age of peace. Or, rather, what was until so recently an age of peace. . .

…

"Both times I've got in trouble because of this ball I ended up in your arms." Tallulah heard Silver tell Serenity that and the words felt like a knife right in the middle of her chest. She was losing him... she needed to do something or she would have no chance of winning him back for her. Tallulah turned her hands into tight-closed fists filled with raga against Serenity as she turned away and walked near the wounded Ronso.  
  
Tallulah stood next to her and smiled kindly, trying to forget about her hatred and placed both hands on top of the wound. A gentle blue light glowed and the wound suddenly bleed some more... black blood, poison. Then she took a bandage out of her pack and covered the wound with it. "It should be alright now," she told Lhinx, "You are a Ronso, it'll leave a scar but you should be able to walk."

…

Serenity giggled then smiled warmly at Silver's words, bowing her head so that her hair fell in front of her face and disguised her mostly likely red and flushed face.  
  
"Whenever you're quite done, I think those wounds of yours could use healing, Silver," she heard Zephyr say, and Serenity nodded and quickly stood up, slowly backing away from Silver so the half Guado could get to work. Turning around, Serenity looked around at the rest of the group. Her duel-colored eyes fell upon Tallulah, and Serenity hoped that she hadn't seen anything. Quickening her pace, Serenity steadily walked over to Lucine and pulled her aside.  
  
"Lucine, I desperately need your help."

…

Silver groaned softly as the romantic moment was over, but felt strangely relieved. He sat up and took the potion Zephyr was offering. "Thank you," he said, smiling though the taste of the potion wasn't really something he liked. He slowly managed to get on his feet, the would on his back aching again but he felt it finally stop bleeding. He looked around for his pack and put it on. With his ball on the other hand he walked towards the others and took off his mask.

…

Lucine just sat and watched happily as Silver and Serenity got their moment. _Score one for Serenity!_ Lucine thought, giggling. She looked over to the side, catching a glimpse of Tallulah's jealous face. Ha, serves her right.  
  
As soon as everybody was healed and taken care of, Serenity approached and pulled her to the side. "Lucine," She said, "I desperately need your help."  
  
"Um, sure Serenity. What's up?"

Serenity looked at Silver as he walked towards the others, and she smiled warmly, then looked away as she felt her face becoming hot again. She looked squarely at Lucine. "It's…everything! Our parents, Silver, Tallulah…" Serenity started, taking a quick glance at Tallulah before looking back at Lucine. "I think…well, there's definitely something between Silver and Tallulah, don't you think? I sometimes feel like she wants to chop my head clear off my neck, you know? And Silver…"  
  
Serenity smiled at the thought of it, before shaking her head. "I think I…but the whole thing with Tallulah…and him…he…Oh, Lucine, I feel so different when I'm around him, you know?" Serenity clasped her hands together, feeling like she was babbling and making no sense whatsoever. "If I ever like…lose myself, I need you to keep me on track, okay? No matter what may happen…or may not happen…we need to find our parents first." Serenity looked at Lucine, then laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. "Oh, geez, that probably made no sense but I had to say it. Do you…understand?"

Lucine listened carefully to everything Serenity had to say. She thought for a moment, and then answered, "Yep, I think I know what you mean. And about Tallulah, well...there might have been something between Silver and her a long time ago, but..........maybe it's not as strong now." Lucine looked over at Silver, then back to Serenity and lowered her voice a bit. "But Silver definitely seems to like you a lot, Serenity, truthfully. And I think the more time you spend with him, the more he'll realize what a great person you are, and what a big psycho Tallulah is." She giggled a bit at the last remark, remembering that jealous face of Tallulah's.  
  
Lucine stepped forward and took hold of Serenity's hands. "And I understand what you're trying to say, so don't worry about it. I promise, promise, to always help you in any way I can. You and I have got to stick together." She let go of Serenity's hands, then held up her own hand, pinky finger extended. "Friends forever, right?"

Serenity giggled and nodded, extending her pinky finger and linking it together with Lucine's. "Yes, friends forever," she said, then giggled again at some of Lucine's comments, turning around to stand beside her and watch the group. "You really think Tallulah's a psycho?" She asked between giggles.

"Of course she is!" Lucine said, giggling along with Serenity. "I mean, I have to admit she's a good healer, but I guess it's probably a good thing she's not an alchemist like Zephyr or something like that, because she'd blow us all up out of jealousy!" After she had finished laughing, Lucine walked back over to the group to see what was going on.

…

Silver blushed to the top as he could hear the girls' conversation. Sometimes to have extreme good hearing like animals wasn't the best thing. His hands start shaking as well as his legs and most of his body.  
  
_Damn my tiger part!  
  
Aren't you happy for what you heard?  
  
I... don't know...  
  
You know you are as indecisive as women sometimes...  
  
SHUT UP!_

…

Zephyr took a look around. Everyone seemed to be here and in one piece. She cleared her throat loudly, trying to get their attention.  
  
"Wherever the missing Gullwings are, they're not here. We should probably get going. On our walk back through the forest, I think we need to do a little. . ." She paused for a moment here, and tried to make eye contact with everyone in the group, especially Silver. ". . . information-sharing," she continued, eyes narrowed.  
  
She started walking back towards the village, then turned around with a thoughtful look when she was about twenty feet away from the rest of the group. "Something was going on in Kilika Temple, and in the past events in temples have always been connected somehow. . . so why is it that I feel so very out of the loop?"  
  
She tapped her long, glassy silver nails on a barrel of her gun, producing a metallic "t-t-t-tink, t-t-t-tink" noise, then sighed with exasperation. "Come on, guys. No time to waste, right?" Zephyr stood there, thrown into shades of orange, pink and purple by the light of the setting sun, and waited for her comrades.  
  
They didn't have very developed crisis skills. Well, some of them had led pretty cushy lives, and those who hadn't were recovering from wounds, so that wasn't surprising. Nevertheless, the halfling couldn't quite put together the events in Kilika Temple. . . yet. She expected to find more answers in Djose. This little pleasure trip was becoming quite a conundrum, although an interesting one to work out.

…

Serenity smiled and shook her head, following after Lucine, and joined the rest of the group as Zephyr cleared her throat and gave a mini pep talk. Serenity stood where she was for a moment, taking in the sight of the setting sun and the effect it had on the sky. It was one of the most prettiest sights she'd ever seen, and Serenity looked at it as if she'd never see another sunset again. Her own form of saying goodbye to it. _This is really real._ Serenity thought as if it was the first time she'd actually stopped to take things in. _You guys are really missing. This isn't a nightmare. We could all die tomorrow and I would never get the chance to see your faces again…_ Serenity slowly cast her glance downward.  
  
"Come on, guys. No time to waste, right?" Zephyr called at them, about 20 feet off.  
  
Serenity blinked, looking as if she was rooted on the spot, but then made her way down towards the village as well. As she neared Zephyr, she said, "So what's this information-sharing thing you're talking about, Zephyr? What do you know?"

…

Lucine sat for a moment, watching the changing colors of the sunset. It reminded her of her home in Bikanel Desert. There you could see the whole horizon if you sat on top of a sand dune. She used to sit there every night while her mother told her stories about the adventures of the High Summoner Yuna and the Gullwings. Thinking about her mother brought tears to her eyes, but she forced the tears back, not wanting the others to see her cry. So after one last look at the sky, she headed towards the village, catching up with Serenity and Zephyr.  
  
She arrived just in time to hear Serenity say, "So what's this information-sharing thing you're talking about, Zephyr? What do you know?"  
  
"Information sharing, eh?" Lucine said, looking at the two of them.

…

Tallulah said nothing for a while, she just stood next to the Ronso. Her hatred was going down slowly, but she was already feeling better and the desire of using her magic to turn Serenity into a Sahagin was gone. She faked a smile and started walking along with the group, using her staff as a walking stick. "Can we go to your house one last time, Silver? I wanna change clothes." In Tallulah's voice the anger was still noticeable, but no longer filled with the same hatred it would have been a few minutes ago.

Still pretty nervous, Silver followed the rest of the group back to the village. His heart almost exploded when he heard Tallulah's voice behind him. "Y-yes, we can spend the night at my place and take the morning ship to Luca, and then we can head to the Djose temple." Silver looked at the ground while walking and then up at Serenity's back, then down again. He was... pretty embarrassed by overhearing her conversation with Lucine, yet... he felt happy.

…

A fascinating thing happened as the group began to walk through the woods once more: Zephyr Guado supported the still-recovering, silent Lhinx Ronso as they walked, careful not to let her fall. A passerby who didn't know the pair would have to look twice at them and wonder, am I dreaming? Could it be that there's a Guado supporting a Ronso? Enemies helping one another?  
  
"Information-sharing," she said, a tad bitterly. "There were three monsters - you notice I don't say fiends, but monsters - in Kilika Temple. Lhinx and Silver killed all three of them, albeit with some personal injury, as you can see."  
  
The halfling looked to Silver. "You didn't seem very surprised, Silver. A bit taken aback at first, but. . . you handled them quite well." She smirked. "I think I even heard you say. . . 'not again'?" Her gaze swept briefly over Serenity, then back to Silver. "Care to fill us in?"

Silver looked up at Zephyr. "Well, those monsters weren't the first ones I've seen. Back in Besaid... Serenity and I went into the Chamber of the Fayth and there we encountered one just like the one Lhinx killed, just that it had a chain with an spiky ball instead of an ax." He paused for an instant and then went on. "And somehow I'm sure this two will not be the last temples with those things inside the Chambers. That's why I propose we all go to Djose and check it out. Yevon surely knows about it, so many guards around can't be a coincidence. We may have to deal with them. And I'm positive, this weird events have to be connected with whatever reason High Summoner Yuna and her companions had to leave."

…

Serenity looked from Zephyr to Silver as they both talked. She wanted to ask what Zephyr meant when she said monsters, and not fiends, but figured to keep questions till the end. Looking back up at the sky briefly as Silver spoke, Serenity thought silently again. Something big like this, that effected all of Spira on a whole…can Yevon truly be up to old tricks again? Serenity wasn't sure what to make of things yet. "Maybe you guys should let those wounds heal and rest. Let us take the front when we go to Djose Temple. If you guys burn out, well…let's not think about what would happen."

Silver smiled at Serenity. "Wounds? What wounds? I'm a Demon. I'll be healed by the time we get there. Still..." He paused again. "I'm not letting our beautiful ladies alone, nor let Kai have all the fun while fighting out the monsters." He laughed softly and pat Kai's shoulder as he walked past him. "We can rest at my house tonight, it's small but we'll all fit inside."

…

Wow...monsters? They must be a lot more powerful than fiends if what Silver said was true. When Vegnagun and Shuyin first appeared, there were also disturbances in the temples, except they affected the Aeons. But, speaking of Aeons, she couldn't remember Ifrit in the temple at all or Valefor at the temple in Besaid. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or maybe it had to do with the High Summoner's disappearance.  
  
"Serenity's right, you guys. We'll venture into the temple first, and you guys stay behind and keep the Yevon guards off our butts. Well...if there are any. All of the Al Bhed around there kinda scare them off." Lucine laughed a little, then went on. "And anyway, I know the people there, since my Dad used to be the leader of the Machine Faction. I'm sure they'll be happy to help us."

…

Kai laughs a bit when Silver talks about him having all the fun fighting monsters. "Well you may heal by the time we get there but not all can heal that fast, and I agree you could take care of that guards when we go in," Kai says and he walks up next to Serenity. "What's on your mind sis?"

Serenity looked at Kai and smiled, messing up his hair a bit. "Kai, haven't talked with you in a while." Her smile faded slightly at his question and she diverted her eyes back up to the colored sky. "Oh…nothing," she said distantly, then looked back at him. "What's on _your_ mind?"

"Me? I'm just hoping going through the temples will bring us closer to finding our parents and the others," he says and puts his hand on Serenity's shoulder. "I know you were thinking about something but I won't pressure you to tell me since you don't want to. Just remember that I am here when ever you wanna talk."

…

Zephyr listened to her comrades attentively, then broke into the conversation.  
  
"So long as Serenity goes into Djose, things should be fine," she said simply. "If a bunch of people go in there without any knowledge of the monsters inside, they'll be in trouble. But Serenity's seen one of them, so she should have some idea of how to go about it.  
  
"Speaking of which," she added, "as soon as I saw the damn things it was pretty obvious to me what they were. Half-fiends. Anyone besides myself familiar with the theory behind them?"

…

Serenity smiled at Kai, almost looking as if she was going to cry, and hugged him from the side as they walked, for she didn't want to stop and fall behind from the group. "I know that you're here, and I'm glad that you'll be there when I do want to talk. We'll talk tonight, okay? And I'm sure that all of this will bring us back to all of them. It already seems like we're just at the beginning of this entanglement." With that, Serenity listened back into the group's conversation.  
  
"Speaking of which, as soon I saw the damn things it was pretty obvious to me what they were. Half-fiends. Anyone besides myself familiar with the theory behind them?" Zephyr had finished.  
  
"Half-fiends?" Serenity repeated. "Well…fiends are people's souls that weren't sent…they envy the living, and that turns into anger and hate…they become fiends and prey on the living, right? So half-fiends…" Serenity aloud thought trailed off, trying to sort it out silently now in case she was wrong.

…

Kai hugged Serenity back. "Ok, sis, you got it." With that he listened to the others. "Hum. I know a little but I'm sure you know a lot more then I do. It would be interesting to hear what you know about them, Zephyr."

"They're creatures that are somehow part fiend, and part, er . . . 'other,'" Zephyr explained in brief. "Two of the half-fiends in the temple looked like they were part animal - a monkey and a dog. But the other one," she continued, "I think Lhinx was . . . communicating with it, somehow. It was probably half-human, half drake.  
  
"There are dozens of ways half-fiends could have ended up in the Chambers of the Fayth, according to Guado theory," she continued. "But it definitely has something to do with the fact that they're all connected . . . by way of the Farplane."

"They are like me," Silver said all of sudden. "We Demons come out of fiends, they are our ancestors along with some other animal and humans. I really don't wanna think how things happened so we appeared. Fiends, humans and animals all mixed in a single creature," he sighed softly, "But that thing didn't smell like any Demon, it smelled to ashes, to blood and they really stink to pure hatred."  
  
Silver walked a little up ahead and couldn't hear any Yevon people around. "They may be another race of Demons. I was born out of a Tiger Demon and a Human, maybe they come out from a Demon and a pureblood fiend. Or maybe they are just some stupid monster out of some outer dimension or a cereal box or something."

"I don't think they have such simple origins," Zephyr said carefully to him. "They came from the Farplane - as much we can be certain of. That suggests that they could have lived hundreds, even thousands of years ago . . . before the time of Vegnagun, before the time of Sin." Zephyr's voice dropped quite a lot in volume then, worrying that someone might here. It wasn't exactly socially acceptable, the theory of half-fiends and . . . origins. "During the time at which demons . . ." her eyes passed over Silver, "Ronso," Lhinx, "and Guado . . . first appeared on Spira."

"Yes, but remember Ronso were Ronso since they were born, never had fiend's blood, and Guado are still though like an over-evolution of mankind," Silver said, remembering something his mother told him once. "But about the Farplane you may be right. No one has ever even tried to investigate were exactly we Demons come from so who knows?" He laughed and shook his head a little.

"So, they half-fiends come from the Farplane, you think?" Lucine asked, trying to get things straight. "So if they were stuck in the Farplane all this time...something must have happened to let them out!" As they walked along, it all started to make since. Her mother, along with the High Summoner Yuna must have known what was going on. They were so closely connected to the temples of Spira.

In response to Silver's remark, the half-Guado muttered a reply, more to herself than to her comrades. "That depends on what - and who - you believe."  
  
And in response to Lucine, Zephyr spoke more clearly. This could be an important point. "Or maybe it was just that whatever was too powerful and destructive for them to get past is gone now," Zephyr said darkly. "Maybe Vegnagun served a purpose besides the destruction of Spira . . . maybe it was helping to protect it."

The Farplane… Serenity thought. _Vegnagun, Sin…before all of this, these half-fiends existed…But why are they showing up now? And why hasn't anyone spoke of it?  
_  
"Or maybe it was just that whatever was too powerful and destructive for them to get past is gone now." Zephyr said darkly. "Maybe Vegnagun served a purpose besides the destruction of Spira...maybe it was helping to protect it."  
  
Serenity glanced at Zephyr, then quickly looked away, casting her eyes downward. She didn't know what to say. How was that possible? Vegnagun there to protect them…? Well, it would have been true, if it wasn't released. _This seems bigger than Sin and Vegnagun combined. It's years older than them and affecting Spira from within…It destroyed the Kilika Temple for Yevon's sake._ Rubbing her temples with the palms of her hands, Serenity closed her eyes as they continued walking. What does it all mean?  
  
"So…" Serenity said hesitantly, "Something…or someone…has to replace Vegnagun in order for balance to reoccur?" _With Lady Yuna, and her friends missing…there's no one…_


	23. More Planning and Some Twilight Fun

(Wowsies, thank you so much Slickman and Alex! A game, a movie, a book…I can't believe you guys think it's that good! Thank you, thank you so much! I couldn't do it alone.)

****

More Planning and Some Twilight Fun

"I think that makes sense," Silver said. "That old geezer Maechen once told me about a songstress from Zanarkand a thousand years ago. Lenne, I bet all of you have heard that. Vegnagun was a weapon from Bevelle... and Bevelle still claims to be the city that protects Spira. Maybe in the past it was true and Vegnagun was indeed created as a good guy. And now it's out as Serenity said. Maybe Lady Yuna went to find something to replace Vegnagun and protect Spira..."  
  
_...But then what if she uses herself for that? You know like the Final Summoning from the Time of Sin...  
  
A Summoner must do what a Summoner must do...  
  
She isn't a Summoner anymore you idiot, I'm not letting anything to happen to her... I wouldn't stand to see Serenity shed anymore tears...  
  
Again to your puppy love, little Silver?  
  
Shut up! _  
  
"... To equal the balance. But there is no one with enough power to do that, I mean this has to be more powerful than Sin itself. There is no notice of something like what we just saw happen before. And those creatures may be the clue. And there is the Farplane, too. Maybe we should take a trip to Guadosalam as we go, the..." Silver hesitated a second. "The Moonflow isn't far from Djose." Silver looked down and then smiled, scratching the back of his head. "Oh don't listen to me, I'm talking nonsense. Remember, I'm not the smart one here."

Lucine gasped. _That must be it!_ She thought. The High Summoner Yuna must be looking for a way to fill in for Vegnagun! "Like Silver said, it does make sense. I mean, before Shuyin came, very few people even knew about Vegnagun. And before him, it hadn't done anything to hurt anybody. Vegnagun took on the destructive feelings from Shuyin and became evil, but it was never made for that purpose."  
  
"I think our best course for action should be what Silver suggested, if nobody has any problems with that. We can travel to Djose and see what's going on there." Here she stopped, bending down to the ground, and drawing a crude map of Spira. Then she drew a little line going from Kilika to Djose. "Then we can travel up the Highroad to the Moonflow. But I don't know how much we'll find there." Again, a little line from Djose to the Moonflow. "And then from there, Macalania to check out the Temple. Then," she continued, with another line from the Moonflow to Macalania, "we'll walk right up to Bevelle, to see if we can get any information about this from the Yevon Priests." She finished with a line from Macalania to Bevelle, then stood up.  
  
She looked at the others, to make sure they understood all of the babbling she had just finished with. "But like I said before, if anyone has anything they'd like to add or change, I'm open to suggestions."

"Lhinx would like to go to Mt. Gagazet. Elder Kimahri worries about Lady Yuna daily. If we get information, we must ease Elder's mind." Lhinx said. This had been the first time she spoke up for a while. She still felt a bit of pain here and there along her body, but thanks to Zephyr and Tallulah she was feeling much better.  
  
"Elder Kimahri also explain about Ronso to Lhinx when Lhinx was Ronso pup. Ronso not originally speak like humans but like fiends because Ronso and fiends more in touch with animal side rather then human side. This why Lhinx and other Ronso not speak well." Lhinx paused and recalled the rest of the Ronso elder's lesson.  
  
"As Ronso begin to interact with humans, they learn to speak like humans. If Ronso around humans more then fiends, Ronso speak human better, but Ronso around fiends more, Ronso hard to understand. Lhinx talk to fiends, half-fiends in temple speak better then whole-fiends."

"Just like pureblood Demons like my old man," Silver said. "Although most Tiger Demons look a lot like humans covered with short white or golden fur and black arrows like mine." Silver pointed to the lines on his arms, just like those the tigers have. "That's why I can lose control over myself when in a battle."  
  
Silver looked at Serenity like he was still apologizing for what happened at Besaid and the way he literally ate the throat of that monster. Then he looked and smiled at Lucine. "Most likely we will be following the same path of a Pilgrimage... not my first time going that way so I might be useful for first time there." He laughed and knelt next to Lucine. "Once we're at the...Moonflow I'll check something on the sunken city, ok? You can all cross in a shoopuf meanwhile and I'll catch up with you in the other shore."

…

Serenity looked down at Lucine's raw drawing of a map of Spira. "Sounds good to me." Serenity looked up at Silver as he explained about why he loses himself in battle, and smiled slightly, accepting his silent apology. She then looked over his and Lucine's shoulders as Silver knelt down beside her and mapped out what he planned on doing when they reached the Moonflow. _I didn't there was a sunken city in the Moonflow. Interesting…  
_  
Serenity leaned to one side, bringing a hand to her chin, her other hand holding onto her elbow. It was like following the path of a pilgrimage…She felt somewhat secure now that they had a makeshift plan, but the whole implications of it…she didn't like it at all. _Is that it, mom? You left to sacrifice yourself to save Spira again?_ "But you disappeared…and the half-fiends are still here. So something doesn't add up…" Serenity said softly to herself.  
  
"I—I remember something that dad told us once, about the pilgrimage on the quest to destroy Sin," Serenity said a little more loudly. "Mom was taken, 'kidnapped'… to the Al Bhed Home on Bikanel Island…It was to protect the summoners…to save their lives. Maybe that's something that could have happened now, too… There's so much we don't know yet, I don't know what's going on," Serenity added sadly.

…

"Sure, Lhinx. I wouldn't mind traveling to My Gagazet." Lucine drew a line from Bevelle to Mt. Gagazet. Then she saw Silver kneel beside her and say, "Most likely we will be following the same path of a Pilgrimage... not my first time going that way so I might be useful for first time there."  
  
"Hey, yeah! That is the pilgrimage route, isn't it?" She laughed and rubbed the back of her head. "I guess that's how I came up with it. It was all those stories about the High Summoner Yuna's pilgrimage that my mother used to tell me."  
  
She listened to Serenity's story of how Yuna was kidnapped and taken to the Bikanel Desert. "I don't think that's possible now. I mean, it was destroyed during the time of Sin. Of course, now my Dad, along with more Al Bhed are planning on building another one." She stood up, stretching her legs. They hurt from bending down so long. "And anyway, I thought the High Summoner Yuna traveled off into the ocean when she was last seen."

…

Moonflow. The one place Tallulah didn't want to return, at least not along with Silver. But there was no other choice and if they were going to find Lady Yuna she would have to fight her own feelings. Last time she was there she committed the worst mistake of her life and break the heart of some tiger boy that have always been true and loving. And now, she was would be able to have him back if it wasn't for that girl.  
  
"Yes, she went to the sea," Tallulah spoke. "There could be an undiscovered island, or a temple no one but Lady Yuna knows about. Or maybe something the Yevonites want to hide. So many explanations but non of them seem to make any sense."

"You may be right, I won't trust one single hair from my tail to those so-called priests. Oh well, no use on thinking about that now. The only thing we need to know is where we are heading and that's settled." Silver smiled and stood up, then look at a tree "Oh yeah!" he jumped and landed on a branch where he took several apples and began eating two at a time. "I love apples!"  
  
When he was finished with the one on his right hand he took another and threw them down at his companions, then another and another. "Here are my thousand apples, that's why I love Kilika. The sweetest fruits are here not to mention the best fish in all Spira."

…

Serenity leaned onto her other side and switched her hand positions. "Yes, Home was destroyed, and they did disappear in the ocean…I didn't mean that they were taken to Bikanel Desert…" She nodded over at Tallulah. "Maybe they were taken to some place over the ocean. Maybe it's something like what Tallulah said, like some undiscovered island or temple no one but them knows about." Serenity rubbed her temples again. Each possible explanation lead to things that couldn't even be possible. _Oh, my head hurts…_ "Silver's right…Let's just…sleep on it. This is too much to try and solve in one night."  
  
Serenity quickly disbanded her arm positions and held out her hands to catch the apples Silver was now throwing at them. She laughed, remembering how he tried to order a thousand apples back on Besaid, and took a bite of one of the apples. "Hmm, thish ish good," Serenity said, covering her mouth for she was speaking with her mouth full of apple. She swallowed quickly and spoke again. "Oh, I want to go fishing! I want fish for dinner tonight!"

Silver blushed. Maybe Serenity didn't know that a man giving an apple to a woman was a sign of eternal love. Or so his mother had told him when he was just a pup.  
_  
Come to think of it, I never gave Tallulah an apple...  
  
Yes you did, you bought a candy-covered apple for her at Luca once, remember?  
  
Yes but that doesn't counts, it has to be a fresh apple...  
  
You call me an idiot and you are right... I am you so you are an idiot...  
  
Tell me something I don't know yet... _  
  
"If m'ladies want fish then your humble servant here is getting some," Silver joked and stood on the branch, gathering some more apples inside his bag and pockets and jumped down the tree. He sniffed the air and smiled. "The beach I used to go fishing isn't far from here. You can either come along or go wait at my place."

"Yay! Apples!" Lucine yelled happily as she ran around trying to catch them. She got caught two, then sat down under the tree. She bit into the first one, and it was delicious.  
  
Then she heard Silver say, "The beach I used to go fishing isn't far from here. You can either come along or go wait at my place."  
  
"Oh, Silver, may I come with you? I've never fished before and I'd love to learn!" She looked over at him with pleading eyes.

Serenity giggled as Lucine pleaded with Silver to go with him. "I think…Kai and I will go and find our own fishing spot. I don't want to be a crowd, we might all scare the fish away." She laughed again, scratching the back of her head somewhat nervously. She looked about the rest of the group, unsure of what they wanted to do. "I guess we'll all meet back at Silver's place."

"Sure you can," Silver said. "It won't get crowded, it's huge and still my ways of fishing aren't very common." Smiling and walking down a dirt path that led straight to the edge of a ten meters fall, Silver took off his scarf, belt and boots. Since they were new clothing he didn't wanted them to get wet so early and took off the vest and pants as well. "Ok, here I go." He jumped down, avoiding the rocks down there like for a miracle. Lots of fishes around and he caught once with his mouth, the others with his claws and even one with his tail.  
  
He swam to the surface and placed the four fishes he already had on a rock, then went down for more. Repeating the same thing over and over he managed to catch over twenty red-colored fishes. The problem now was...how to get them up there.

…

Lhinx had never been much of a fan of fruit, but the Ronso had always had a soft spot for fish, yet right now she wanted something filling. She trekked towards the forest, looking around at the entrance.  
  
(I better find a tree to hide in. That'll be a good spot.)  
  
The Ronso looked up at a rather stout tree.  
  
(Perfect. I can find a meal.)  
  
Ronso ate a lot at one sitting, but it would last them for a week. Unfortunately for Lhinx, the breakfast at Besaid had worn out during her time in the temple.  
  
(I could go one more day, but I dunno when the next chance I'll have at hunting so freely will come.)  
  
The Ronso jumped up toward a high point on the tree and found her way to a strong branch. Her yellow eyes looked about the area, looking for any large movement. The tree was near the river, a choice spot to find any large game.  
  
Five minutes passed, all the while the Ronso not making any movement so as to not stir any leaves or chip any of the bark and cause it to fall to the ground.

…

Lucine watched as Silver dove into the water. "Um...I think I'll find a spot that's not so...high." She said, looking for a way to get down. After a few minutes of searching, she finally found a suitable spot. It was just off to the said of the falls, still steep, but easier to climb down.  
  
So she made her way down the side of the waterfall, almost loosing her grip once or twice, but managing to stay on. When she got to the bottom, she found a nice little beach, perfect for her to wade in the water. Quickly she took off her boots, skirt, and top, revealing a bright yellow bathing suit. She always wore it under her clothes, just for such an occasion.  
  
She waded in, until she was about knee-deep in water. She stood perfectly still, not wanting to scare the fish. Soon there were three or four around her, swimming about. "Yippee!!!" She yelled, diving headfirst into the water. Unfortunately, the fish were scared away by her yelling, but she managed to get a hand full of seaweed. "Yuck!" She said, sliding the mud off. Well...best to leave the fishing to Silver. For now she'd just enjoy the water.

…

(Yes!) Lhinx thought, her tail stirring a bit out of enthusiasm as she watched a large doe trot toward the river side.  
  
The Ronso leaned in a bit, watching from her spot 15 feet off the ground in the tree. The doe stood far enough away to where Lhinx could just jump away from the tree branch and pounce the doe before it could run very far.  
  
The doe looked around, making two glances to each side after one long inspection on each side of her. The doe then began to lower its head to take a drink.  
  
(That's it...take a nice long drink....)  
  
As the doe gulped in water, the Ronso waited eagerly.  
  
(If I plan this right, she'll be logged down with water, making it easier to catch her in case she does manage to escape getting tackled.)  
  
The doe's ear then twitched toward the tree.  
  
(Did she hear me?) Lhinx wondered.  
  
The ear went back to its original position, much to the Ronso youth's relief.  
  
(Now!)

Lhinx jumped from her branch and pushed herself from the branch toward the doe. The doe brought its head up quickly and started to run before it was crushed under a rather large predator.  
  
The doe let out a grunt as the wind was knocked from it. Lhinx quickly grabbed the creature's throat and cut off it's breathing with her large claws.  
  
The doe's entire body convulsed before its body fell limply to the ground.  
  
(Well, that's taken care of.) Lhinx thought.

The stripped carcass of a doe lay near the riverbed, bits of bloodied flesh lay about near it with armies of insect feeding off of them.  
  
The skeleton of the animal was nearly bare, but the parts of it Lhinx could not finish were left to the scavenger fiends of the area. Lhinx sat near the riverside and was washing off her vest and shirt.  
  
(I best clean up before I get to Silver's house.) Lhinx thought. (Who knows how they'll react if they see me covered in blood?)  
  
Her pants, gauntlet, armlet, and shoulder guard lay at her side, leaving only her shin guards, cloth and bandages which covered her rather personal spots.  
  
(I should've taken off my armor and vest before tackling the creature...) The Ronso thought as she lay her shirt and vest to the side and began to scrub her pants. (It'll take forever for these to dry...I better just hang out here for a while. Or....)  
  
Lhinx looked around and brought her clean wet clothing toward a branch that conveniently was just high enough for her to put her clothes to where they wouldn't hit the ground and were in her reach.

She stepped back about 15 feet away from them. She turned to face them and began to focus.  
  
(I really hate using this technique, but this is important.)  
  
"Fire Breath!" Lhinx spat out a beam of fire that stopped inches away from the clothes, drying them with the heat it let off.  
  
She finished the attack and walked toward the now dry clothing.  
  
(Perfect.) Lhinx thought. (I think I'm becoming less squeamish around fire already.)

…

"Ok, give me a hand with these," Silver said as he gave Lucine four large fishes and went to get the other ones. He repeated that five times and finally looked up and shouted, "Serenity, can you and Kai take my things to my house? We'll meet you there in a while." He took as much fishes as he could so Lucine wouldn't have to carry a lot and began walking. "There is a path a few miles ahead that leads directly to the port and then to my place."

Lucine took the fish from Silver then walked over to her clothes. She picked them up along with the fish. She hoped nobody would mind if she walked back in her bathing suit.

…

Lhinx knocked on the door to Silver's home, fully dressed and stomach full.  
  
(Ah, venison, love it love it love it!) Lhinx remembered the tenderness of the deer meat and hoped to come back to hunt again. (Kilika deer are good.)  
  
Lhinx looked around absentmindedly and noted a Yevon guard giving her a suspicious look.  
  
(What's his problem?) Lhinx wondered. She looked away and toward where some little kids were playing with a blitzball. (Aww...)

…

"Serenity, can you and Kai take my things to my house? We'll meet you there in a while."  
  
Serenity stood up from the tree she was leaning against. "Oh, yeah, sure," she replied, and walked over to the edge where Silver dropped off his stuff. She carefully looked over the edge, and wondered how on earth Silver and Lucine had managed to go down there and come back up.  
  
Taking a couple of steps away, she squatted down and began picking up the scarf, belt, vest and pants, hanging them over her left arm. With that done, Serenity stood up and bent down to pick up the boots with her free right hand. Walking back to Kai, who had picked up Silver's weapons and whatever was left, they both made their way back to Silver's house.  
  
Nearing the house, Serenity saw Lhinx there knocking on the door. "No one's home, but I think it's open," Serenity said to her, smiling. She readjusting her arms, feeling them getting weary with fatigue for being in the same position too long, and not really because of the heaviness of the items. She figured Kai would be having a bit of a hard time with that blitzball, though. "Did you have your own fishing excursion, Lhinx?"

Kai looked over to Serenity and could see that she was getting tired and snickered a bit. "Having trouble there, Serenity?" He said, messing with her. He was a little tired himself carrying the heavy blitzball but it wasn't that bad. _Maybe I should ask Silver to let me lug this around more often to build up my strength._ Kai continued toward the door and waited for Lhinx to open the door.

Lhinx opened the door for the exhausted Serenity and Kai. "Went hunting. Fish not filling, but good," Lhinx said.

…

They walked along the sand path for some minutes, Silver muttering some old song and whistling at times. He just couldn't wait for eating such delicious dinner, in fact he wanted to eat them right away but being in company of humans he couldn't let his animal side go out. He smiled as they got to the harbor, wooden steps ahead that he climbed with a jump. "Ok, now to the Lair of the Tiger," he joked. "I mean to my ol' house."  
  
Silver kept on, looking around at ignoring the odd looks from the Yevonites. The villagers were already used to Silver's oddness, but now there was a cute girl in bathing suit with him. He smiled and went on down until they got to his house and he opened the door using his tail. Again he smiled when he saw Serenity and Tallulah weren't on each other trying to rip each other's eyes off. "Dinner time, ladies and gentleman," he called and left the fishes just outside his house. Since it was a bit apart from the rest of the huts in Kilika he thought a dinner outside would be ok. It was like a little, private platform next to the river, a good place to spend summer nights.  
  
He build a fire and began cooking outside, still with nothing but his boxers. Silver went inside and smiled at Serenity and Kai, silently thanking them and went upstairs to get dry underwear and put his clothes on.

…

Serenity stuck her tongue out at Kai. "Not at much trouble as you, Kai," she said, smirking, then bowed her head at Lhinx in thanks when she opened the door for them. Piling the clothes on the side of the couch, Serenity stretched her arms out. "Hunting, was it? Hope you caught something good! If you still have room left, Silver and Lucine are returning with some fish. Maybe you can have some as a snack?"  
  
"Dinner time, ladies and gentleman," Silver called. "Well, speak of the half-demon," Serenity laughed, and went outside the sit by the fire Silver had built as Silver went upstairs. "Oh, I am so starving…"

Kai laughed when Serenity stuck her tongue out, then bowed slightly to Lhinx for opening the door, lying the blitzball and the gunblade down by the couch. He then heard Silver call and say dinnertime, so he headed out after Serenity and sat next to her by the fire. "I'm hungry, too. I can't wait to eat some of this fish."

"Maybe..." Lhinx said in response to Serenity.  
  
Lhinx walked outside to the platform and watched the cooking fish.  
  
(It wouldn't be right to take any of the fish.) Lhinx thought. (But....)  
  
Lhinx looked down at the river, noticing a rather fat looking crab.  
  
(Yes!)  
  
Lhinx pulled out her poleaxe and stabbed it into the water and into the crab shell. She pulled the weapon out of the water, the crab still on the end and pointed it into the fire.  
  
(I hope Silver doesn't feel insulted by this, but a Ronso has to be independent at times.) Lhinx thought.

Serenity giggled and closed her eyes, shaking her head lightly. "Oh, don't say fish! I can feel my stomach growling and eating itself from the inside just at the word of food…" She held onto her stomach and opened her eyes at the sound of splashing. She looked to see Lhinx had caught a rather big and fat looking crab and was now holding it over the fire. She giggled again. "Well aren't you lucky! So innovative."


	24. Emergence of Tallulah's Wrath

(Yeah, well, this story pretty much is only with made up original characters. If 'the' original characters ever make a scene in this, it'll most likely be towards the end. But that's an interesting idea, to bring the originals into it. I'll think about it. Thanks for the comment, Zachary.)

****

Emergence of Tallulah's Wrath

Kai laughed at Serenity again and then looked at Lhinx when she caught the crab. "Excellent! Good job, that's one enormous crab," Kai said as Lhinx put it over the fire. "And Serenity, it's okay, we'll eat soon."

Lhinx looked over to Serenity and grinned, her white predator teeth enough to make anyone nervous. "Want some?" Lhinx pulled out the crab and held it out to Serenity.

Serenity lightly jabbed her elbow into Kai's side for laughing at her again, then her eyes widened at the sight of crab being offered to her. She looked up to Lhinx and smiled brightly. "Oh, is it really okay Lhinx? Thank you so much!" She took hold of the crab, passing it from hand to hand like a hot potato for it was still warm. "Oh, this is going to taste soooo good…" She bowed again gratefully to Lhinx.

Lhinx nodded and put her staff away as she watched the girl try not to burn herself.  
  
(Ah, this evening is quite a contrast to earlier today. One hour we're fighting half-fiends, the next we're enjoying a cookout on a nice peaceful evening. What a day...) Lhinx thought with a wistful demeanor.  
  
The Ronso looked around, wondering where the rest of the group was.

…

Kai turned to Serenity when she nudged him. "Hey…" he nudged her back and then Lhinx offered Serenity some of the crab and he watched her toss it from hand to hand waiting for it to cool off. "You know, if you let it just sit there for a second you wouldn't have to worry about it burning you," he said, moving a stone in front of Serenity large enough to set the crab down on. "There, set it down."

…

Silver walked out of the house dressed in some baggy black shorts and a sleeveless XL red shirt with the legend 'Tiger' on it like a double sense. He sat cross-legged between Serenity and Lhinx as he looked at the fishes cooking. "Well, I think it shall be ready in just a second." His eyes then went up and met Tallulah's, and for a second he just wished Sin came back out of nowhere and swallowed him. He felt so guilty.  
  
_Snap! Back to reality, boy!_  
  
Silver turned away and looked at everyone one by one, Zephyr, Lucine, Lhinx, Kai and finally at Serenity, blushing a little all of sudden. "Well, feel free to start," he said and stood up to go get some drinks and the apples from earlier that day.

…

Serenity stuck her tongue out again at Kai, and set the crab down on the stone he placed in front of her. He sure was being the annoying brother he was supposed to be all of a sudden. _Trying to make up time, I suppose…_ "Well, for your information, I didn't exactly have a place to set it down before. But now, all thanks to you, my hands shall not burn and I shall not have to worry," she said, thanking him sarcastically, and bowed at him in a big, exaggerated way, smiling.

Picking up the crab again, she began lightly cracking it on its side to open it up, and Serenity looked up as Silver sat down on her other side. She smiled at him when he finally looked at her, and went back to prying open the crab as Silver got up again to get something.

…

Silver returned carrying along a basket filled with apples on pressing it between his hip and his left hand and with a bag with cans of juice. "Ok people, dinner time at last." He placed the basket next to the fire so the apples would warm up a little and the cans just in front of him. He began passing them along until they all had one and he put the bag behind him.  
  
He took an apple and cut small pieces from it with his claw, then he looked and grinned at Serenity, somehow the grin seemed a little cocky as he threw the piece of apple high in the air and caught it with his mouth. Not sure if that was a good way to impress a lady, he blushed and laughed softly.

…

Zephyr, who had been pondering the words of the evening for a while, tried to shake off the puzzle that was haunting her. She knew that they had to go to Guadosalam. If her theory was right about the half-fiends and their origins. . . the only people who would be able to help them with information would be the Guado scholars.  
  
And the dead, of course. There's always the dead.  
  
She stared at the table thoughtfully. However much she tried to think happy thoughts, she was incapable. Everyone was trying to forget about the journey, for this night. As if it were a pleasure trip.  
  
It had started out a pleasure trip, for her, but it seemed so much more important now. And here these people were, laughing and acting so. . . cheerful.  
  
"I'm not hungry," Zephyr spoke up suddenly, standing up straight and walking out of Silver's house, down to the waterfront. She couldn't stand this. It was as if something was gnawing at her subconscious, an idea she couldn't quite wrap her mind around. . . like the answer, an explanation was right in front of her. . .

"Zephyr..." Silver was about to jump on his feet but then he didn't. Zephyr seemed like she wanted to be alone so he'd giver her that. "Now what's with out Guado girl all of sudden? Could it be her 28th day or something?" he joked, smiling a little and throwing another piece of apple to catch it with his mouth again.

…

Happy she finally cracked the crab open, Serenity smiled and began eating. She looked to her side at Silver as he cut an apple with his claw, and moved her gaze up to his face, meeting with his grin that had a hint of cockiness. Smiling back a bit hesitantly, unsure of what he was doing. The next moment, he threw a piece of apple into the air and caught it with his mouth. Serenity covered her mouth and laughed silently, wondering why he had done that. It was entertaining, and that was enough for her.  
  
"I'm not hungry," Zephyr had said suddenly, and Serenity abruptly stopped laughing and watched her stand up and walk off. Serenity got a worried look on her face, and Silver spoke up to fill the silence. Serenity smiled slightly at his joke and looked back at where Zephyr went. She knew she should let Zephyr be alone, like she seemed to want to be, but she had to say something at least before she would be able to do that.  
  
"I—I'll be right back," Serenity said, and placed her crab down and stood up. Clasping her hands tightly in front of her, Serenity followed after Zephyr.  
  
"Zephyr!" Serenity called as she neared her. "You…looked sad back there. Wanna scream?" Serenity joked lightly. "Look, I know you want to be alone right now…I just had to say something before I could allow myself to let you be alone." She looked up at the horizon, where the stars were now poking through the sky. "This…trip…it's become so much more serious then what we could have ever thought. I guess…we're not trying to make this 'pilgrimage'…into some sort of joke, you know…I want my journey, your journey, _our_ journey, to be full of laughter."

Serenity paused then and smiled softly. Those words…her mother's words…it felt comforting. She put a hand on Zephyr's shoulder gently. "Don't let it get to you too much, 'kay? We're all here if you need us." Serenity let go and turned away. "I'll let you be alone now." With that, Serenity made her way back to Silver's house, and sat herself down at her place between Kai and Silver. She opened her can of juice and sipped the liquid.  
  
"So…" Serenity said, looking at the group, "Who can catch a piece of apple with their mouths?"

…

Lhinx looked at the apple and observed the spectacle of the tiger demon catching the fruit in his mouth. Upon Serenity's inquiry of any others who could perform a similar task, the Ronso tossed the apple in the air and snapped her jaws shut as the apple fell into her large mouth.  
  
(Hmm, not bad.) The Ronso thought.

Silver looked at Serenity as she went out and then smiled when he saw her back. "So…" She said, "Who can catch a piece of apple with their mouths?" Silver laughed and cut another piece of apple. "You can," he said and threw the piece of apple on the air and watched it fall down directly towards Serenity's face.

Serenity giggled and clapped as Lhinx threw and caught a whole apple with her mouth. "Bravo!" Serenity cheered. She heard Silver laugh and Serenity turned to him.  
  
"You can," he said and threw a piece of apple towards her. Serenity opened her mouth in disbelief and shook her head, waving her hands in front of her. "No," Serenity mouthed, but soon opened her mouth again to try and attempt it. The piece of apple hit her on the nose, and Serenity held out her hand to catch it before it fell on the ground. She ate the piece of apple and poked at Silver playfully. "I can't catch apple, but…"  
  
Serenity held up her index finger for them to hold on a second, and she jumped up and went into the kitchen. She came back with a bunch of grapes and sat back down. "I sure can catch grapes," Serenity finished, smiling. She threw up a grape and caught it her with mouth. She threw her hands up in the air as a silent cheer as she chewed on the grape. "Tada!"

Lucine clapped, applauding all of them. "I would try...but I'd probably end up knocking something over..." She smiled, then took a few bites of her fish. I was mouthwateringly delicious! "This is like...the best fish I've ever tasted, Silver! From now on, I dub thee....um...Master of the Fish! Yay!" Thinking what she had just said to be totally funny, she started rolling around on the floor laughing, not caring if the others thought it was funny.  
  
Soon she sobered up, staring into the dying fire, and dreaming of the adventures to come. "Wow…I'm kind of tired.." She said, standing up. "Do you guys mind if I turn in for tonight?" 

…

Words like Serenity's were all well and good, but Zephyr couldn't allow a smile to cross her face. She sat on the beach in the quickly fading light and sifted the sand through her fingers, silver-lined brow furrowed with thought and annoyance.  
  
She'd studied all of this, the theories about half-fiends. It was an interesting aside to her study of alchemy. That had been all it was, for so long. And now she couldn't even remember. . . how was it that half-fiends came into being, anyway?  
  
The halfling blocked out the laughter and chatter than floated her way from Silver's house and from the town itself. And finally, she remembered.  
  
All of that hatred gathered as a fiend didn't always just fade away, once the fiend was killed. Not all souls could return to their original form. . . the pyreflies manifested the memories of old fiends, spirits who had become so embittered and strong with hatred. . .  
  
In the Farplane, they became half-fiends. Unable to feel the bliss of death. Still spiteful, still jealous of the living.  
  
Zephyr watched salty droplets fall and leave dark spots on the sand, imagining the anger and the creatures they had killed in that temple. Imagining the hatred.

In the background, she heard her comrades laughing.

…

Silver clapped and laughed as she caught the grape. "You're good," he said and smiled as he took his fish that had a stick from tail to mouth and began eating as properly as he could, slowly although suddenly she stop and some blood came out of his mouth. He had bitten his own tongue with his sharp fangs as he wanted to keep his mouth close while eating. He swallowed the piece of food he had in his mouth along with the blood and smiled. "Ouch."  
  
Silver licked the blood that was rolling down his chin. "I never thought I could be so tasty," he said, embarrassed by what happened. He then looked at Lucine and smiled again. "Sweet dreams, feel free to sleep wherever you want."

"Um…actually, you look like you need some ice or something for your tongue…do you want me to get something?" Lucine asked, not even waiting for his reply but going into the kitchen to get a towel. She brought it back in and handed it to Silver.

"Well, I guess I'm going to bed now. It's getting kinda late. Hey Silver, mind if I sleep on the couch?" She pointed to the small, worn-out but comfortable couch in the corner.

Silver smiled and took the towel, cleaning the lower part of his face from the blood that remained. "It's ok, happens a lot when your fangs are as long and sharp as mine and your skull hasn't the exact shape to hold it. One of the few disadvantages of being a Demon." He laughed and took another bite of his fish. "If I had a mouth like Lhinx's it would be much easier."

…

Kai laughed at watching the others throw different food up and catch them in their mouths. It was great having the downtime during the crazy and hectic time. Kai took a bite out of the fish he got. "Excellent," he said, thinking the fish was some of the best he had.

…

Tallulah ate in silence, sitting between where Zephyr was and Lucine, looking up at Silver from time to time and glaring at Serenity without being noticed. She wasn't in the best mood, now they were going to repeat the journey she and Silver made years ago. But that could be her chance, maybe Silver would remember and fall for her once again.  
  
She took a small bite of the fish with her eyes closed. Then sipped her drink and went on eating her fish. Tallulah looked at Silver's shirt and blushed as she remember the story of it. Their first night he had worn that, and although he would never talk about it she knew he still remembered.

…

Serenity had moved onto the fish after finishing the crab Lhinx had given her. Fighting the urge to lick her fingers, she looked up when Lucine had gone to fetch a towel for Silver and watched as Silver wiped his face of the blood. She turned away briefly from the sight and looked back at him. "Silver…you don't have try and eat 'properly' if that's what's going to happen."  
  
"Well, I guess I'm going to bed now. It's getting kind of late," Lucine said after delivering the towel. Serenity nodded and waved. "Have a good night's rest, Lucine." She stretched and lied back down, using her arms as a pillow for her head. "I suppose it is getting late. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Maybe we should turn in ourselves."

…

Kai looked at the others then up at the sky, and after a moment he stood up and walked into the house and up the stairs, finding a window. _Ah, this will get me onto the roof_, Kai thought to himself as he climbed out the window and onto the roof. After getting there, he easily found his balance for the roof was not on that much of a slant. Kai made his way up the roof and found a nice spot to sit near the top and look to the sky.

…

Silver laughed embarrassed and scratched the back of his head, then he finished his fish, very careful not to bite his tongue and still trying to eat properly. He looked at Serenity and smiled, then at the rest. "I can put what's left in a freezer pack to carry along, I have one somewhere around here."  
  
He stood up and took ten of the thirteen fishes left, leaving three for anyone who wanted and went inside where he placed them inside a big metallic backpack. It had three bags inside of it as well. He put then some apples and a few cans of juices in the other bags. "Ok, all settled," Silver called from inside the kitchen, walking the outside. "Whomever wants to take the bed you know where to find it."

Serenity sat up, wondering where Kai had gone off to since he didn't say anything when he left. Shrugging it off as another person who wanted some time alone, Serenity took one of the three fish that Silver left and began eating. "I think I'll sleep out here tonight if that's okay. I'm just going to need a spare blanket and I'll be fine."

…

Kai leaned back and was now lying on the roof looking up at the stars. He felt bad that he didn't tell anyone he came up there but that didn't really matter. "Man, the stars sure are clear here like they are back on Besaid," he said quietly to himself while thinking about the day his parents left and how he wanted to go with them.

…

Lhinx smiled with amusement as Serenity had tossed grapes into her mouth and at Silver's comment about her mouth. When it came time to decide who slept where, the Ronso resigned to sleep out on the deck.  
  
"Lhinx worried about Zephyr," Lhinx finally said. "Not good to be away from friends."

…

"I think I'll take your bed, Silver, good memories come to me," Tallulah said, grinning almost evilly and wishing she could see Serenity's reaction as she walked into the house and went upstairs. An evil move, yes, but was worth it. Serenity would have to almost as innocent as a baby, which she knew she wasn't, to not to understand what she meant by 'good memories'. She let herself fall on the bed, remembering the very first night she spend on that bed with Silver.

…

Lucine curled up on the couch, using a blanket she found to cover herself up. It was so warm...and outside she could see the last of the fire's embers ,their smoke twirling up into the cloudless night sky. "This is the happiest I've been in a long time..."Lucine managed to say quietly, before falling asleep. The last thing she saw was Kai getting up from the fire...

…

"Coming, m'lady," Silver said to Serenity and ran inside. A minute later he came out with a warm blanket and a pillow from his bed. He placed both next to her and sat right by them, smiling. "Seems like your brother likes my favorite sleeping place just as I do," he said, listening to Kai talking to himself. "The stars here are really pretty."  
  
_But not as much as her eyes...  
  
Here you go again...  
  
Let me be for Spira's sake!  
_  
"I think I'll take your bed, Silver, good memories come to me," he heard Tallulah say and he blushed bright red... again wanting to be swallowed by Sin or something like that.

Lhinx noted Silver tense up as Tallulah went up to his bedroom.  
  
(Oh dear....) The Ronso thought as she took off her vest and folded it into a pillow like device. She took off her arm guard and smiled at how gentlemanly the tiger demon was toward Serenity.  
  
(Love is weird...) The Ronso thought as she pillowed her head with her hands as well and looked up to the sky.

…

Zephyr blinked herself out of her strange, almost trancelike state, and listened to her comrades getting to sleep. Once again, she would sleep under the stars, where she could hear the lapping of the waves against the shore. This time she didn't half expect pleasant dreams.  
  
The halfling settled herself into the sand, almost wishing one of the half-fiends would break out and kill her before she woke. If it would help satisfy their bloodlust just a little.  
  
Poor creatures. What kind of people were they, she wondered, before they died with all of that hatred in their hearts . . .  
  
With this thought, she fell into unsettled dreams.

…

Silver came back with a warm blanket and a pillow, and Serenity smiled back at him as he sat down beside them. "Seems like your brother likes my favorite sleeping place just as I do," Silver commented, and she looked up at the roof. "Yeah, looks like it…" Serenity said, and hoped Kai was okay.  
  
"I think I'll take your bed, Silver, good memories come to me," Tallulah said, and went inside. She was glad that Tallulah left before she could see her reaction, which even then was hard to decipher. _Good memories…?_ Serenity repeated in her thoughts, and turned her head to the side_. What sort of memories can she have about…a…bed…_ Serenity closed her eyes tightly for a moment, and looked to Silver to see his reaction on it. She saw him blushing quite red, and Serenity closed her eyes again. _No…_  
  
"I think…" Serenity started, her voice faltering, "…I think I'll go sleep on the beach with Zephyr…" Serenity said softly and stood up. "Um…Lhinx is right…she-she shouldn't sleep alone out there…and…stuff…" Serenity added, hoping the reason she was leaving wasn't too obvious. She didn't feel right sleeping there all of a sudden. She bowed her leave to Lhinx and to Silver, not making eye contact with him, and made her way out.

"Serenity!" Silver stood up and motioned to follow her but he didn't. A sudden rage took over him. He knew what Tallulah had meant and still remembered. And now he knew Serenity wouldn't look at him the same. Without a word he began walking to the woods again, wishing he had his mask with him.  
  
_Damn you...  
  
You hormones finally have betrayed you...  
  
SHUT UP!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!  
  
You are alone...  
  
I am... and I don't care! I do not need anyone!  
  
You need her...  
  
No, I don't, I only need myself and that's all...  
  
You lie...  
  
I... know..._

He found himself away from the house after some minutes. He could still see the dim light of the dying fire from where he stood. Silver looked then at a huge tree just in front of him and turned his hands into fists, his claws going into his own flesh. He motioned his right fist back and punched the tree real hard and it fell. The a second one just next to it and a third one. He couldn't get rid of his rage.  
  
Blood soaked his hands. His own. He didn't care, Silver had never been this angry not with anyone. But he wasn't mad at Tallulah, or at Serenity, he was mad at himself. Looking up he saw a nice branch on an unaffected tree and jumped on it, resting his back on it and closing his eyes.

…

Serenity came across Zephyr, who had settled herself quite nicely into the sand and was fast asleep, though she didn't look like she was having any nice dreams. Serenity looked up at the night sky as she walked in the sand, the light of the moon and the stars merging into one as tears blurred her vision. _How am I…supposed to compete with that?_ She lost her footing and tripped, falling face forward rather harshly though it was sand. Serenity didn't bother to sit herself up, and turned her head down to the sand, feeling the warmth of her tears falling down her cheeks.

What in Spira made me think he could ever like me…? Serenity curled up and clutched her hands close to her heart, feeling sleep eager to take over and dominate all her thoughts and turn them into bitter nightmares. Closing her eyes, Serenity eventually gave in and fell asleep, trapped inside her subconscious until daylight came and could free her from its grip.


	25. Daybreak: Serenity's Dream

(Well, I'm not sure it's better than FFX or X-2, but thank you very much, Vistron. Don't think Square Enix would even consider reading my story…I'm glad you didn't get confused! And nah, you're the best ever!)

****

Daybreak—Serenity's Dream

Morning lights made Silver squeeze his eyes shut. Slowly he opened them and jumped off the branch. His hands stained with dry blood made him remember what happened last night.  
  
_Serenity..._  
  
Silver took off running back to his house, thinking about what he would tell her, how he would talk to her or if he would just kiss her right away.  
  
_Love at first sight, just what happened with Tallulah, isn't it?  
  
And what if it is, go to Hell and let me be!_  
  
He arrived to where the fire had been last night and looked around. Serenity wasn't there. He sniffed the air and twitched his ears, he couldn't smell nor hear activity. He let out a sigh sat there, waiting.

…

She felt cold…wet. Her eyes squinted at the sudden dimness of where she was, but soon her eyes adjusted to the soft lighting that spilled from the torches in the next room. Still able to feel water dripping off her hair and clothes, Serenity slowly turned around, her feet splashing the water she stood in. She was standing on a flight of stairs, and behind her the steps led underwater. Scanning around, the walls were damp and moist, and she could faintly make out the sound of the Hymn of the Fayth. 'An underwater temple…?' Serenity thought, and made her way up the rest of the stairs and into the other room.  
  
Lining the sides of the room were 6 statues, 3 on each side. Serenity made her way towards the front of the room, glancing at the statues as she past. 'Zanarkand…Kilika…Djose…Macalania…Bevelle…Besaid…' Serenity stood in front of the Besaid statue and started to examine it. Dusting off a sphere she found, she picked it up. 'A destruction sphere…? These haven't been around in ages…' Without warning, the sphere glowed and flashed a bright light, causing her to cover her eyes. When she looked back, the sphere was projecting an image of a ring, the ring Lhinx had found in the Besaid temple. Another flash of light beamed from the other side of the room, and Serenity turned to see Kilika's destruction sphere glowing as well, it projecting a golden chain with a pedant hanging from it, the same one Silver had found. Serenity had no clue what either item meant, for she didn't know that Lhinx or Silver found anything.

It was the sudden growling and hissing sounds that Serenity had decided to focus her attention on. They seemed to have been coming from all sides and angles of the room, and she didn't know where to face. Soon, Serenity could see her breath in front of her, as the temperature dropped steadily as if it was hatred itself doing it. Feeling and hearing her heart beat, Serenity cast her eyes around as the torches slowly diminished, leaving shadows dancing everywhere. That's when she saw them; half fiends, all surrounding around her. Serenity reached for the golden bullet Silver had given her, but nothing happened. He never came…busy saving **her**…Tallulah, most likely. The light then went out completely and Serenity let out a blood-wrenching scream as they all attacked at once, the sphere she was holding dropping from her grasp and shattering on the floor.

Serenity turned restlessly in her sleep, looking like she was still trapped within her nightmare. She let out a cry and sat right up as if someone had lit a fire beneath her. Holding her hands out behind her to keep her balanced, Serenity breathed heavily, trying to regain her composure. She slowly closed her eyes, feeling a drop of sweat roll down the side of her face. "It was…just a dream…" Serenity whispered to herself, and plopped back down on the sand, putting an arm over her eyes to shield from the morning rays.

…

A sudden, faint scream came to Silver's ears. Fear. He stood up and looked around. It didn't came from the house, nor from the woods or the road to the village... it came from the beach. Silver wasn't sure, it was really weak, and too many sounds mixed at the time.  
  
_But what if...?  
  
Go!_  
  
He began running towards the beach, hoping it wasn't anything to worry about. He ran in silence, not wanting to be noticed and when he got there he saw Serenity and hid behind a huge, twisted, palm tree which he climbed. There she was, with all her beauty just like her mother. He kept himself in silence and just held himself to the tree.

…

Morning light from the window beside the couch streamed down onto Lucine. "Huh?...what time...is...it...?" She asked sleepily, before she fell back asleep. But a few minutes later, she heard screaming...Serenity's screaming! She jumped off the couch, shoved her feet into her boots, and ran out of the house towards the beach.  
  
Soon she arrived at the beach and saw Serenity sitting in the sand. "Hey, are you alright?" She asked, sitting down in the sand. She noticed there were little beads of sweat around Serenity's brow. "Your aren't sick are you?" Lucine put her hand on Serenity's forehead, checking for a fever.

Silver heard and saw Lucine long before she arrived to the beach. He was quite impressed that a human could have such a good hearing. Silver smiled, looking at the two girls, still hiding and wondering how he would talk to Serenity. He didn't think she would see him like she used to now that she knew something that had happened between him and Tallulah.

Lying there in the sand, Serenity soon felt like she was being watched_. But everyone's still asleep, right? That's not possible…_ Serenity thought, turning her head to glance at Zephyr, who was still sleeping as far as she could tell.  
  
"Hey, are you alright?" Lucine's voice asked, and Serenity sat back up as she sat down. "You aren't sick are you?" Lucine questioned her again, putting a hand to her forehead. Serenity smiled weakly and shook her head. "I…don't think I'm sick. It was just a bad dream. It's past now." She looked around the beach. It still felt like they were being watched. "How was your sleep? I hope I didn't wake you. Are the others still sleeping?"

Time to make his move. Silver jumped off the tree and walked slowly towards them. "Yes, they are, I cannot hear them up yet." He was blushing, but he tried to keep calm as he walked, hiding his bloodstained hands behind his back. "Good morning," he said, smiling like wanting to pretend nothing happened last night.

"Yes, they are, I cannot hear them up yet," Silver's voice came, and Serenity froze. She wasn't entirely sure she was ready to face him yet. She didn't even know what to say to him…what could she say? Serenity closed her eyes and bent her head down, feeling a breeze pick up and blow her hair lightly, destroying any plan Serenity had to hide her face with her hair. "Good morning," he spoke again. _I guess…I have no choice._  
  
Serenity raised her head back up to Silver, and she opened her eyes and looked at him. She studied his face, and his smiling seemed to jab her in the heart. Serenity looked into his eyes, hoping that would somehow give her something to talk about. Her mouth opened and closed though, for she still did not know what to say, and she smiled sadly at him and nodded. "Morning," Serenity said simply, trying to mask what she felt inside.

Silver smiled kindly, still feeling great confusion inside, and he took a deep breath. "These marks under your eyes tell me you didn't sleep very good, unlike our friend here," he said motioning Lucine with his head, then raised a hand to show Serenity the black spots under her eyes, completely forgetting about his hand stained in blood. When he saw it his eyes widened and he blushed, hiding it again.  
  
He wasn't very good at reading people's feelings, but he could smell them. And Serenity smelled of sadness and confusion. He knew that scent, her mother had it ever since his father passed away and till she died of sorrow as well. It ached to know she was sad.  
  
_But why?  
  
Because of you, idiot, why else?  
  
Hey don't look at me... was it because of what Tallulah said?  
  
Of course it was!  
  
But why? I mean I have a past, everyone does...  
  
That kind of stuff is very special for girls, isn't it for you as well?  
  
Well... yes but no... I may be half human... but I'm still half animal... a Demon...  
  
Demon is only your scientific name, you are you..._

I know...  
  
Then talk to her...  
  
I'll... try...  
  
"Err... we should get going, we leave at noon along with the ship. Back to Luca, eh?" He was nervous and smiled shyly.

Serenity stared at his hand as he brought it towards her to show her the black spots under her eyes. _Why…is it stained in blood…?_ But Silver hid his hand again before she could analyze the cause of it. She reached her hand out to grab his hand but then stopped and hesitated. _I…shouldn't…I can't._  
  
"Um…" Serenity trailed off, and she stood up, brushing her hair back with her hands. "Yeah…Luca…" Serenity looked to Lucine. "Lucine! Could you, um, look after Silver's hands? He seemed to have…gotten hurt…overnight. I think I'll go and…make breakfast for everyone so we'll be all set when it's time to ship off. Yes! That's it!" Serenity clapped her hands together and nodded. "So I can't tend to him…" Serenity bowed her leave to both of them and quickly went off back to Silver's house.

"Hey, wait!" This time Silver jumped and landed right in front of her, smiling. "Breakfast is already done, but... I need to talk to you," he blushed and looked down, having a sudden urge to lick the blood off his hands but he didn't. "It's nothing, I just nailed myself while making some exercise." He showed Serenity his hands, which were no longer bleeding though they hurt. He put them down and blushed even more. "So... can we take a walk before we go back?"

Serenity stopped abruptly as Silver landed right in front of her, and she stared at his hands when she showed them to her_. Exercise? Some exercise it must have been… _"…They've stopped bleeding. At least that's good. But you still need to have them cleaned and disinfected, you know…they're probably still stinging…"

She was going to say that Lucine should take care of that, but he asked her to go on a walk with him so she wasn't able to. Serenity clasped her hands together and brought them up towards her chest, and she looked back at Lucine as if asking for some kind of permission. "I…guess we can," Serenity answered, and looked up at him.

…

Kai awakened with an odd feeling. "Something isn't right…" he says to himself, looking around. From his viewpoint up on the roof, he could see Serenity, along with Silver and Lucine. Before he could even think he lets himself slide to the edge of the roof and jumps off. As he reached the ground he tumbles as to not break any bones and stopped just before reaching the dying fire. With that, he ran towards the beach. "Hey, sis, are you okay?" He asked as he finally approached the trio.

Lucine stood back to watch what was happening. It seemed to her, that something happened last night after she went to sleep. And she had a feeling it had something to do with Tallulah...Then Serenity looked back at her, and Lucine nodded her head. They really needed to be alone right now. So she turned to Kai, who had come running down the beach. "C'mon, Kai. Lets go to the house and get something to eat...if you know what I mean." She grabbed his arm and started pulling him towards the house.

"What?! Hey, wait…!" Kai turned his head around to glance at Silver and his sister as they disappeared.

"Thank you," Silver said and smiled again, starting to walk next to her into the woods. Once away from anyone who might hear he began talking. "I know you are upset... can I see it in your eyes and smell it in the air around you. Under that sweet, strawberry perfume you wear if I'm not mistaken I can smell confusion." He turned to her and stop, then sat on a fallen tree, one of the several he had taken down last night. "Serenity, I got something I've been wanting to tell you since Besaid... in fact since we first met, but I never got the chance. And then Tallulah came..." He was shaking, his voice faltering and his face blushing bright red.

Serenity blushed when Silver mentioned her strawberry perfume, and held onto her left elbow with her right hand as they approached a fallen tree. She sat down beside him carefully and looked at him as he started to shake. She noticed his voice faltering and his face began to blush a bright red she knew all too well. She wasn't sure what he was going to say, and she looked away from him and out at the trees that surrounded them, readying herself for the worst.

"Silver, I…" Serenity looked down at her hands as if just realizing her had them. "I understand now the amplifications of your relationship with Tallulah…I mean, you two…you guys did…I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to get in between anything, even though you two aren't together right now…" Serenity trailed off, getting confused in her own words, unable to say in words what she meant. _They must have really loved each other if they…and that's something I shouldn't trouble…Even if it hurts._

…

Lhinx blinked her eyes once or twice before sitting up and letting out a powerful yawn, her teeth all showing.  
  
(Man, what a night...) The Ronso stood up and popped her back and neck before looking around. (Where is everyone...)  
  
She then remembered last night. Serenity had left and Silver looked hurt.  
  
(Does this have to do with Tallulah?) The Ronso wondered. (Wait a minute...oooooohhhh....)  
  
The Ronso's eyes widened. (Whoa, well.....umm...ooh.)  
  
The Ronso looked around and went inside, noting the couch and its messed up state. Lucine had slept there, from what the Ronso remembered.  
  
(Guess she's outside somewhere.)  
  
The Ronso climbed up the stairs and looked around in the bathroom.  
  
(No one here.)  
  
The Ronso's ears picked up slow, rhythmic breathing. She walked toward the bedroom and opened the door.  
  
Tallulah lay there sleeping, a devious smirk playing on her lips.  
  
(Well she's certainly pleased with herself. I can't believe that this is the same girl who healed my wound that helped hurt Serenity's feelings. But I suppose that plays with Seymour helping Lady Yuna fight a monster.)  
  
The Ronso closed the door and walked down the stairs.  
  
(Gosh, I wish I could help.)  
  
The slight rush of water near the home took the Ronso's attention. She walked outside and noted a crab similar to the one she had found last night along with others. They were smaller then the one from last night, but they would make a fine meal for her human companions.  
  
(Might not be enough to fill 'em up. But it'll sure be a good appetizer.)  
  
The Ronso grabbed her vest from where she had laid it and her shoulder guard. She immediately scooped up three of the crabs, placing them on her vest. She did the same thing twice more, taking in 9 crabs all together.  
  
(We'll have extra.) The Ronso thought, pleased with herself.

As the Ronso youth made a new fire where the old had burned last night, she reminisced of days long ago.  
  
(Elder Kimahri would always bring fish with him whenever he came back from a trip off Mt. Gagazet. Crabs were also a treat. But he could only bring so many of those. It would be first come first serve with them, and I was always so slow. But **he** would always give me his when he saw me crying...) Lhinx looked over at her shoulder guard that lay face down on the wooden deck.  
  
The Ronso stoked the fire and placed the struggling crabs onto the grill that had cooked fish the previous night. Lhinx closed her eyes, seeing herself as a Ronso pup running to the fire where fish were cooking and crabs were being handed out to the others.  
_  
She had just missed the last one and went off to sulk. Her head hung low as she sat downs and looked up at the mountain trail entrance.  
  
"Here." A mostly gray/blue furred hand held out a crab to Lhinx's nose. The pup looked up at a semi-grinning Ronso pup male. His ivory white horn was growing somewhat and his messy blonde mane stood out like a beacon against the white snow.  
  
"Thank you, Biran." Lhinx said, looking down in shame. "But Lhinx slow, so can not take this."  
  
"Lhinx not slow, others too greedy. Biran just luck out. Lhinx deserve this."  
  
Lhinx shook her head and Biran looked a bit hurt.  
  
"I know." Biran said with a smile. "We race for it. Whoever win get prize."  
  
Lhinx couldn't help but smile as she looked up at the semi-older cub. She stood up and nodded eagerly.  
  
"Ready...." Biran said, both he and Lhinx in position to run.  
  
The two were on the mountain path near a Summoner's memorial where the crab lay in wait.  
  
"Set...." Biran looked to Lhinx and smiled. "GO!!"  
  
The two sped off, Lhinx keeping up pretty well..._

…

As Lucine approached the house with Kai in tow, she could see that someone had started the fire. Soon she could see Lhinx sitting near the fire with about ten, plump looking crabs caught in her vest. She let go of Kai's hand and ran the rest of the way, greeting Lhinx with a cheerful, "Good morning!", and then placing herself next to the fire. "So, Lhinxie, thinking of having a crab breakfast?"

…

"Serenity... I... There is nothing between Tallulah and me. Yes we have a past together, but that's all. Everything's past now. I don't know why she keeps being mean, but I... I... Oh what the Hell, I'm not good with words!" Without thinking Silver stood up and grabbed Serenity by the shoulders, not caring about his dirty hands, then placed a kiss on her lips, closing his eyes and hoping it would be returned and not dismissed.

Serenity glanced at her right shoulder and then her left as Silver held her by the shoulders suddenly, not so much because of his bloody hands but of what he was going to do. She looked at him and her silent question was answered as he leaned in and kissed her on her lips. Serenity's eyes widened in shock, for she was definitely not expecting it. Her eyes then closed halfway as it sunk into her brain what was happening and that it was real, and Serenity closed her eyes completely and in peace, kissing him back.

Silver smiled to himself as he felt her return the kiss and hugged Serenity tightly, but still careful not to hurt her. He kissed her passionately, for an instant forgetting about everything and just feeling her body next to his. After a while he took a step back when the kiss was over and looked deep into her eyes. "I... I'm sorry... I shouldn't... Serenity... I love you." Silver blushed bright red and looked down, embarrassed by what he had done, but not regretting it one bit.

Serenity smiled brightly at him as he took a step back when the kiss ended, and she looked deep into his eyes as well. "I…I'm sorry…I shouldn't…Serenity…I love you," Silver managed to say, and Serenity gasped, an even more shocked look on her face. This morning just brought more and more surprises. Love? Serenity knew she felt something for him, but…love…? Serenity took a step towards Silver, filling the small gap he made when he stepped back, and put a finger under his chin and lifted his head so he was staring back at her. Without answering, she wrapped her arms around his neck as she went in and kissed him on the lips again.

Silver returned the kiss and hugged her tightly once again, not wanting to let go. Time froze for him and all there was Serenity and himself. He just wanted to be like that forever. But everything had to end and this kiss ended, although very sweetly. He smiled at her, not saying a word but telling her everything he felt with his eyes diving into hers.

Serenity smiled at Silver again, and though he didn't say anything else, she didn't need him to. Actions speak louder than words, and everything that just happened screamed at her like a thousand blow horns. Serenity took his bloody hand and held onto it lightly as to not hurt him. "I think we better head back or they might send a search party," Serenity joked and laughed lightly, for the very idea seemed quite unlikely. With that, Serenity led the way back to Silver's house, still holding onto his hand. She felt like she was on Cloud 9 and that now she had the strength to carry on and solve the mystery they were neck-deep into. She didn't think, or perhaps didn't care, what the others thought, and kept Tallulah far in the corner of her mind.

He laughed softly and followed her, but let go of her hand to replace it by wrapping his arm around her shoulder as not wanting to get her hand dirty with his own blood. Silver kissed Serenity's cheek and laughed again, not thinking about anything but her.

…

Tallulah opened her eyes and sat up, stretching and yawning at the same time. She looked around and remembered what had happened last night and where she was. Tallulah jumped out of the bed and grinned to herself, walking downstairs to go comfort the broken-hearted Silver.


	26. Lhinx the Chocobo

(Arigatou gozaimasu, R.C.! I'm glad you like it! Tried hard to make sure it didn't read like an RP. And hello, Alex. Haha, I'm fine, thank you. Nah, haven't been working on another story. This story's a LONG, long way from being over, I promise you that. Just been busy, though I do have another story I should get back on. Though I'm liking this one at the moment! So without futher adieu, Chapter 26.)

****

Lhinx the Chocobo

As they approached the house, Serenity could see that a fire had been started, and she could hear faint voices. "Hey, I guess they are up!" Serenity said cheerfully, and as they rounded the corner she could see Lhinx, Lucine and Kai around a fresh fire. "Great, we didn't miss breakfast," Serenity said to him, squeezing his hand lightly as it dangled from around her shoulder.

…

Tallulah walked out and saw everyone but the Guado, Silver and Serenity around a new fire. "Morning, guys" she said, cheerfully. But all her happiness suddenly disappeared when she saw Silver and Serenity walking towards them... he having his arm around her shoulder.

…

Silver laughed softly and kissed Serenity's cheek again before looking back to the fire... and he saw Tallulah, standing there and looking at them with anger. Yes it ached him, but didn't she hurt him just like that back then? He didn't belong to her and had her own life. And now Silver had chosen. Tallulah, she was his past. Serenity, she was his future.

…

Lucine heard voices behind her. She turned around, and there was Silver and Serenity, laughing and hugging each other. "Oh, good!" She said happily, standing up to greet them. "You're just in time for breakfast!" Then she sat back down, her mouth watering for the delicious looking crabs.

Serenity smiled at Lucine as she stood up to greet them. "You're just in time for breakfast!" She said, and sat back down. Serenity giggled and turned to Silver, smiling at him before she sat down beside Lucine, not noticing Tallulah. "Great! I'm starving!" She looked up to Silver, remembering his hands. "Oh, Silver, do you need me to clean your wounds before we eat?"

…

The Ronso youth nodded to Lucine as she and Kai came back.  
  
"Where others?" Lhinx asked before hearing two sets of footsteps coming toward them. There came a giddy tiger demon and gunner, hugging and laughing with each other.  
  
(Well aren't those two just the happiest looking people in the world...) Lhinx thought with a grin. (I guess they patched things up.)  
  
A third set followed, Lhinx knowing it to be Tallulah and smelling the anger and jealousy all the way from where she sat.  
  
Lhinx took the now cooked sea creatures off of the grill and placed them on the rock Kai had found the previous night for Serenity.  
  
"Breakfast." Lhinx said simply, watching her eager companions and feeling happy for the approval.  
  
"When Luca ferry leave?" Lhinx asked to just anyone of them in general.

…

Silver laughed again and looked at his hands. "Well, I can clean them the old tiger way... but I don't think you would like that so I'll be right back. Don't you worry, the wounds are already gone. Start eating, I'll get change in the meantime." He smiled and began walking towards the house. "When Luca ferry leave?" Lhinx asked and Silver looked at her while walking. "We have a couple of hours." And he went into the house, upstairs into the bathroom and to clean the blood off his hands.  
  
With this done he looked into the mirror and smiled, touching his lips with one finger. "Oh boy, I forgot I could do that" he said and waked out of the bathroom, then took off his shirt and shorts to put on his traveling clothes and come out with gunblade, blitzball, backpack and freezer bag. He placed the stuff at the door and went to sat next to Serenity.

Serenity nodded to Silver as he left to get cleaned up and returned her attention back to the breakfast Lhinx had placed down in front of them. She clapped her hands together and began eating a crab as Silver returned and sat down on her other side. "Mmm…" Serenity said as she swallowed then took a sip of juice.  
  
"Today's going to be an uneventful day, don't you think? It's all traveling. First the boat to Luca, then the long walk across the Highroad. Unless we take those hovers…then I suppose we could make it to Djose before sundown. Maybe we could even spend the night on the Moonflow. Wouldn't that just be gorgeous?" Serenity paused as she took the time to eat a fish. "I think I'd want to stop a moment when we pass by the place where Operation Mi'ihen took place. You know…minute of silence or something like that."

"My dad was there, he was one of the lucky survivors. I don't think we will get to the Moonflow today, the Highroad sure has changed," Silver said, smiling. "I mean the hovers may be a good idea... but I rather walk. Djose isn't my kind of place... not since my trip to Zanarkand a year ago..." Silver took a crab and bit it. It tasted extremely good he almost became jealous of the cook.

"Lhinx visit Djose Temple. Could be worse there then Kilika." Lhinx said as she pulled off a pincer from her own breakfast and pulled the meat out of it with her teeth. "Hope it uneventful on way to Luca. Sahagins annoying creatures."  
  
"Well, I think we should ride on the chocobos they have there." Lucine said, as she examined her crab. "I heard there's a guy named Clasko there who will let you rent them." She opened the shell of the crab, and carefully pulled out the meat inside. It was delicious.  
  
After Lucine had finished her crab, she went inside to get her bag. She placed her things next to Silver's in the door, so she wouldn't forget them, then sat back down with the rest of the group.  
  
"Chocobos are fine with me," Silver said. "Just that I'll have to disguise if I'm going into the temple. I'm... to be shot on sight there... some people take to seriously when someone destroys a machine made for hunting fiends. That machine recognized me as a fiend and... I destroyed it. Since then I'm not to be around there."

Serenity looked to Silver as she finished up her breakfast with a nice long sip from her juice. "Your father was part of Operation Mi'ihen and survived? What extreme luck!" Serenity felt the sudden urge to do the Yevon sign for some reason, but quickly diminished the thought for knowing what much Silver didn't like Yevon. "A chocobo?" Serenity said as Lucine said that they should ride them when they got to the Highroad. "Oh, I hope I don't fall over. I've never ridden one before."  
  
Watching Lucine get herself ready by putting her bags near Silver's, Serenity wiped her mouth with a napkin, thinking she should get ready soon, too. "Silver…you really never had a lot of luck with the temples, have you? Well, I don't think you have to worry too much. Lucine, Kai and I will be going into the Chamber this time, I think. Lhinx wants to come in, too. So I think we can handle the inside."

"Chocobos..." Lhinx slurred off a bit. "Lhinx no ride chocobo."  
  
The Ronso tribe were not known for how delicate they were nor how petite. And chocobos were birds, large birds, but birds were still known for how they were built for flight. A skeletal system comprised of hollow bones and a heavy Ronso female, even a Ronso youth female, were still a bit much for a normal chocobo.

"Yeah, I think Serenity's right." Lucine said, nodding her head. "You guys had to fight last time, so why don't you give us a chance this time. We'll kick some monster butt!" She made small punching movements into the air, showing she could take them. "And, it lowers the risk of you being recognized, Silver."

"Hey, I can disguise myself pretty well." Silver stood up and wrapped his tail around his waist like a fur belt, then made a hood out of his scarf to hide his ears. "Just gotta stay silent so they do not see my fangs and keep my claws inside the gloves and that's all. I'm not letting m'ladies alone." Silver sat down and smiled at Serenity. "Besides... why should Kai have all the fun? Maybe this fiends taste better than that one at Besaid."  
  
Silver laughed softly and returned to his breakfast, suddenly noticing how stupid his comment was.

…

Tallulah just sat there, fighting back her tears and concealing her face from her companions using her hair. The rage she felt was so deep she couldn't explain it. That girl had gotten Silver before she did and that just made her hate her so much. Maybe she was High Summoner Yuna's daughter... but she wasn't going to lose. Tallulah would tear them both apart and then open her arms for Silver to go comfort in them. She already had him once in every single way... and she will have it again and forever this time.

…

As they rest of the group was talking about, Lucine heard Lhinx say, "Chocobos...Lhinx no ride chocobo."  
  
"Well...." Lucine said, thinking, "You could run along beside us, because I know you're a good runner....or..." She said, a giant smile coming across her face. "We could just get, like, a _reeeeeeaally _big chocobo!" And she spread out her arms as far as they would go to demonstrate how big the chocobo would be.

Lhinx laughed, thinking of the prospect of a giant chocobo. "Lhinx run." Lhinx said. "But big chocobo good option." The Ronso youth squished in the now hollow crab shell and tossed it into the water.  
  
(It's biodegradable, so that should be okay.)

"Or we could use Lhinx as a chocobo and save us some money, she is as big as one," Silver mocked and pat Lhinx's shoulder. "I'm just kidding, we'll get something for you, if not then I can race you on feet." Silver split open the crab's shell and bit the meat inside, still trying to be as polite as he could while eating.

"Race sound fun." Lhinx said.  
  
_  
"It tie..." Biran said to Lhinx as the two Ronso pups sat in the snow trying to gain their breath back. The Summoner's memorial pyreflies circled around, moaning a bit.  
  
"You hold back." Lhinx said, eyeing him with a slight grin.  
  
"So did you." Biran said playfully.  
  
"Not want to hurt Biran pride."  
  
"And Biran not want hurt Lhinx pride."  
  
The pyreflies continued to moan.  
  
"Humans lucky can not here pyreflies. Wish they go away." Biran said, covering his ears.  
  
"They turn to fiends and we kill them. That how they go away." Lhinx said as she stood up, taking out a short wooden staff wrapped in bandages.  
  
"They not really gone, just somewhere else, and sadder." Biran looked down a bit.  
  
"But can not come back from Farplane. Sad pyreflies not problem." Lhinx replied.  
  
Biran looked around and then to Lhinx. He then stood and put his mouth very close to Lhinx's ear.  
  
"Can Lhinx keep secret?" Biran asked in a low tone.  
  
Lhinx nodded. Biran backed off a bit and started.  
  
"Biran heard about big fiends in Zanarkand. They come out of chamber of Fayth, and moan like pyreflies and are angry." Biran said, a serious look on his face.  
  
"Fiends come out of Farplane?" Lhinx asked.  
  
Biran nodded and continued. "Fiends want revenge, want to live again. Biran go find out more when horn grows long."  
  
Biran looked up to the ivory like horn growing from his forehead, which was still a stub compared to the great ones of the Ronso adults.  
  
"Be careful." Lhinx said. "Not safe to fight alone."  
  
"Lhinx come with Biran." Biran said eagerly. "When we grown, we go fight off fiends and keep them in Farplane. Lhinx and Biran strong like Mt. Gagazet."_

…

"Oh, a race sounds like fun!" Lucine said, clapping her hands. "You two are so evenly matched, it's hard to guess which one of you will win." She looked down at the ground for a moment before looking back up at the rest of the group. "It's been a while...do you think we should head for the boat?"

"Maybe." Lhinx stood up and stretched. "Better early then too late." The Ronso grabbed her vest and shoulder guard off the deck and put them both on. She then noticed Tallulah with her head hung a bit. "Tallulah tired?" Lhinx asked.

"Alrighty! Lets get going!" Lucine jumped up and ran to get her pack. She slung it over her shoulder and returned to the group. As she was returning, she noticed Lhinx talking to Tallulah, who had her head down. Even though Tallulah wasn't her favorite person in the world, Lucine still didn't like to see anyone in the group hurt or...too sad, in Tallulah's case. So she walked over to Tallulah and bent down to talk to her. "Are you okay, Tallulah?"

…

Serenity giggled at Silver's joke about all of them ridding on Lhinx, and hit him playfully on the shoulder. "Lucine's right! A race does sound like fun." Serenity stood up and stretched then went inside to grab her bag. Coming back outside, she noticed Lhinx and Lucine hovering around Tallulah. Serenity stopped abruptly and looked at Tallulah. She didn't even notice her there since she wasn't off saying something about her and Silver. Serenity lowered her gaze and then looked at Silver. It had to be about something between them that got Tallulah all upset. Serenity stood frozen on the spot. She wanted to go over and comfort her along with the others, but she was sure that she was the last person Tallulah wanted to see right now.

…

"We get to dock and enjoy boat trip to Luca. That make Tallulah feel better?" Lhinx asked, concern noted in her tone.  
  
(Though she was mean to Serenity...she got what she deserved, so that evens things out a bit. I think she could use some cheering up.) The Ronso youth thought.

Silver stood up with a jump and walked to get the freezer pack and his own traveling bag on top of it. He lifted his blitzball and adjusted his gunblade in his belt. A little heavy, yes, but he could manage pretty well. He walked next to Serenity and smiled, giving her a quick kiss on her nose as she seemed to be looking at something else.

Serenity pulled her eyes away from Tallulah and instead looked at Silver and smiled back at him. She supposed she could talk to Tallulah some other time, when she's cool down, and approach her alone. "Hey you," Serenity said to Silver warmly and looked at the load he was carrying. "Need any help?"

Maybe he had just confessed to her some minutes ago, but he felt like if they had been together for ages. Silver grinned at her and nodded. "I need some fuel, if you don't mind, m'lady." Without waiting for an answer, Silver leaned and kissed her on the lips softly, closing his eyes. "Well, now bring those fiends to me, after that kiss I feel like I can take both Sin and Vegnagun together with my tail around my waist."

Lucine, who was still leaning over Tallulah, stood up, and decided to go help the others. She was sure that they'd have time later to talk, is Tallulah wanted to. She walked over to Silver and Serenity just in time to hear Silver say something about fuel. "I could help you get it, Serenity, if you want." Then she turned to Silver. "Where can we find the fuel?"

Silver laughed and poked Lucine's belly. "Nope, only this young lady can give me the fuel I need to carry this," he said and laughed again. "Hey, you think Zephyr is on the boat yet or should I go search for her at the beach?"

Lucine giggled as Silver poked her belly. "Hey! I'm ticklish there!" Even though they had only known each other for a little while, she thought of Silver as an older brother. "Well, I guess Zephyr's already on the ship. I think I saw her pass just a while ago. We should hurry up so she doesn't have to wait for us."

…

Serenity laughed and hugged Silver around the waist. "Well, I hope you run out of fuel often, then," Serenity said and laughed again. Re-shouldering her own bag, Serenity clapped her hands together. "Well then, let's get going before Zephyr spasms out. She's been acting down ever since yesterday. I hope she's feeling better today."

"Ok," Silver smiled and took the bag off Serenity to place it over his own travel bag that at the same time was over the freezer pack. "My duty, m'lady," he said almost laughed and took her hand, starting to walk towards the dock. "Hey, anybody feeling like playing some blitzball when we get to Luca? I got a cousin there, son of my aunt from my mother's side, that can get us into the stadium for an exhibition match."

Serenity stared at Silver in surprise, her mouth partially open, when he took her bag and went on carrying it. She shook her head, smiling, and swung her hand that was holding onto Silver's happily as they walked along the dock. "Oh, my first real chance to try out blitzball! Sounds like fun! We should run it by Zephyr, see what she thinks. I think she's been worrying about how we're taking this journey too lightly, but I think even she wouldn't mind letting loose in a blitzball game. I'm up for it if the rest of you are." She then looked at Silver and poked him playfully. "Someone has connections, huh?" She teased him.

…

Tallulah sighed softly and looked up at the Ronso. "Yes, you could say I am kinda tired." _Tired of that woman stealing my man from me._ She got on her feet as the others said something about leaving and went into the house to get her bag and staff. Tallulah closed the door after her and made a silent wish: that the next time that door was opened Silver would be holding her hand and walking inside as husband and wife.

…

Zephyr had gotten up early that morning, and gone for a long walk. Walks helped her sort out her thoughts and the knots in her chain of logic. The village of Kilika had always been a scenic little place and she had long ago found the best place to relax and just think about things.  
  
And so it was that a Guado halfling could be found tinkering with her gun on the outcrop overlooking Kilika port as the sun rose. In order to reach the spot, she'd had to fight a few fiends; just the usual, garden-variety type. It had helped blow off some steam, anyway.  
  
On the return trip, she found the forest oddly quiet. In the dawn light, Zephyr boarded the ferry to Luca. She wouldn't even wait for her comrades, if they planned to hang around for another day. This was about a group that she was tempted to call her people, a group of damned souls.  
  
She wondered if Seymour had become one of them, and she felt a pang of guilt as she realized . . . she hoped he had. She hoped she could communicate with him somehow. Connect with him. Release him from this world with a well-placed shot of her gun.  
  
Maybe go with him.  
  
But for now, she sat in wait for the ferry to leave, quietly polishing her gun, checking her stores, watching the sun in its arc across the sky.

…

Silver laughed and poked Serenity with his tail as he hand her hand in one of his and his blitzball between his arm and body. "My only useful connection, the rest is up to Maechen and his students which isn't really something. But my cousin is a good one, thanks to him I could join the Ronso Fangs so easily when I got there with Tallulah." It sounded so different to talk about Tallulah now, holding Serenity's hand made him forget about everything and just being himself, his happy and easy-going normal tiger self.  
  
"If we have to do this journey then let it be a fun one, not a sorrowful search from one place to another. I bet every hair on my tail that she is safe and sound. Remember your mother already saved Spira twice... and your father is with her along with Lucine's mother and that other Ms. Paine." Silver kissed Serenity's cheek and smiled at her, then playfully manipulated his tail to poke her bellybutton. "The Ultimate Tiger Poke TM," he said and laughed. "Surrender to my power."

Serenity giggled as he poked her bellybutton with his tail. "Hey, that does tickle," Serenity said between giggles. "I surrender! I surrender! You won this round, tiger." Serenity smiled at him. "But I shall win the next one, just you wait and see." She looked up at the boat that they had finally reached. "Let's board and release you of your carrying duties, dear sir." Serenity bowed at Silver playfully and slowly made her way up the ramp. "Zephyr, are you here?"

Zephyr stood up, her steel-toed hiking boots clanking heavily with every footfall as she walked around to the other side of the ship, where her comrades were finally boarding. Her chemical-streaked hair, down from its sloppy bun, fluttered in the breeze.  
  
The halfling leaned against the cabin, the polished barrels of her gun glinting on her hip. A smirk played about her lips at the sight of Serenity and Silver as they were. They'd have hell to pay later. Tallulah wasn't just playing around.  
  
"Yeah, I'm here," she said, smoothing her hair back out of her stormy gray eyes. She felt strange, somehow; suddenly, this wasn't just a journey taken on a whim. She, too, had a mission. For the first time in years, Zephyr grinned in the face of the world, and of her comrades.  
  
Maybe it was important to just relax once in a while. To those who were concerned about staying sane, anyway.  
  
"When's this thing leaving?" she said, not impatiently but in a happy tone, tainted by her smile. "A game of blitzball sounds damn good to me right now. I can't wait to get to Luca."

Silver laughed softly and climbed up the ramp to the boat, then let the freezer pack and the bags on the wooden floor. He cracked his neck to his right, then left and stretched. Another crack from his back could be heard and Silver just felt as good as new. "There we go!" he looked at Zephyr and was quite surprised she was so eager to play blitzball.  
  
_I though she was the serious, grumpy one here...  
  
People are not always as they act...  
  
Yes, I know that...  
  
You aren't as you act either, remember?  
  
Oh yes... well can't blame me for that, I am a man after all...  
  
A man that acts all easy-going but deep inside is a loner...  
  
Not anymore, I got my friends with me now... not to mention Serenity is with me...  
  
For as long as your hormones keep in place or Tallulah finds some way to get you again... _

That won't happen, I love Serenity, now shut up and let me be for once...  
  
Sure thing...  
  
He felt a fade pain on his back suddenly. Then a little wet feeling on the middle of his back reminded him of the old wound he got from the Sahagin and hadn't have time to heal itself. Those beasts, then the temple at Kilika and now his self-crack. Well, it was a daylong trip to Kilika, it should be alright for next morning.

Zephyr proceeded to crack her wrists, neck and ankles, all exceptionally loudly. She maintained her good-natured smile as she ruffled Silver's hair, throwing it out of its debonair placement into a rather silly-looking windswept mop.  
  
"You okay?" she asked, looking him right in the eye. Silver and Tallulah always smelled heavily of memories, especially when they were around one another. Rich, heady memories, like expensive perfume - memories of love, lust and those troublesome in-between, unexplainable passions. Silver had been swimming in them lately, especially. Drowning in feelings he was having trouble sorting out.  
  
And, hell, maybe it'd help him to let them out. Zephyr wouldn't really know; she'd always been a loner, and, in her rare romantic encounters, she had always been absolutely in control. She'd never messed around with love. Love was quite possibly the stupidest concept known to mortals, in her opinion.  
  
But this was what friends did.

"Yep, cool here," Silver answered to Zephyr's question with a smile on his face. He sat on top of the metallic freezer pack and put his hands together, wrapping his fingers. The ship began moving and he stood up again, giving one last look at Kilika. He didn't know why he had the sudden feeling he wouldn't see it again.


	27. One Final, Peaceful Boat Ride

(Is anyone still reading this? XD Sorry for the long wait for the new chapter. Kai actually is no longer in the story…where he sort of is but don't expect any separate dialogue for him really…Thanks for the comment, Samurai XX To the anonymous…though I know the half-breed races aren't usually associated with great things, Silver's race is an important part of the story, and is quite different and unique. Zidane from Final Fantasy IX was a sort of half-breed, and he was great. And Martin, I'm so glad you think it's FFX-3 material! I hope you all enjoy the new chapter.)

**One Final, Peaceful Boat Ride**

Lhinx stood atop the second level deck of the ship as it pulled away from Kilika Port.

(Again at sea... I'm beginning to like this more and more.) Lhinx thought.

She stood straight up, her arms crossed in front of her and her gaze now on the sea in front of them. On occasion, a dead fish would be floating by, but other then the usual soothing spray of water, nothing was going wrong.

She uncrossed her arms and walked down to the first level. Three kids began to run by after a renegade blitzball when they caught sight of the towering Ronso youth.

"Whoa..." Two of them, boys, with eyes wide and mouths agape stared up at the large creature.

"Wow, you're big!" The little girl said, smiling widely and then caught sight of the swishing tail attached to Lhinx. "Oh cool! A tail!"

"Wait, don't-" Lhinx began and the girl began grabbing at the tail, which would twist and turn to avoid her grip, making the girl laugh like there was no tomorrow.

"You're bigger then my papa!" One of the boys said.

"Oh course she is, she's a Ronso. Do you play blitzball?" The other boy asked.

"No I-" Lhinx began.

"Do you fight lotsa monsters and stuff?" The other boy asked.

"Well-"

"Can you lift those big crates?" The other boy cut in.

(How do I deal with this?)

"Caught it!" The little girl piped up, holding Lhinx's tail as it tried to wriggle free.

Lhinx groaned and hung her head as the two boys continued to pummel her with questions and the girl danced around with her tail in her grip.

Silver looked at Lhinx and laughed. The little girl was having some fun with the Ronso's tail and he took his own between his hands. Tails. Maybe the part of his body he liked the most. Fun and handy when fighting or playing blitzball. He stood up and walked over to the boys who asked if Lhinx played blitzball, carrying along his black ball.

"Having some fun, Lhinxie?" he asked, almost laughing. "You know, you sure would to a good mommy someday." He smiled kindly and looked at the kids who were a little confused, not knowing how to act in front of a Demon like himself.

"He's got a tail too!" The little girl squealed and let go of Lhinx's tail quickly.

(Oh, thank goodness.) Lhinx thought as she took hold of her own tail and massaged it where the girl had gripped it tightly. (If being a mother involves my offspring playing squeeze toy with my tail, I'm gonna pass on maternity.)

Lhinx moaned, trying to straighten the fur on her tail.

"Lhinx not around children a lot. Tail not be able to take it long." Lhinx said as the aforementioned part swished around her back, enjoying its renewed freedom of movement.

"Is he a Ronso too?" The first boy asked his friend, talking about Silver.

"No, he doesn't have any gray fur or a horn." The second boy said.

"Hmm." The first boy circled around Silver. "Looks human."

The little girl squealed with delight as she grabbed at Silver's tail.

Silver laughed again and lifted his tail along with the little girl that was holding it tight. He looked down at the boys and smiled. "Nope, I'm no Ronso, but nor am I human. I'm a Demon, a Tiger Demon to be exact." He scratched his head lightly and laughed again, half expecting the children to fear him. Not many people liked Demons, and many thought their children that Demons were bad people without even seeing one in their entire lives.

"Whutsa demon?" The first boy asked.

"It's a really powerful fiend, from what my grandma told me," the second boy said. "Why arentcha reeking havoc on everyone and stuff?"

"Whoa..." The first boy caught sight of the large gunblade at Silver's side. "This thing's huge!"

He pulled at it out of curiosity.

"It's heavy too." He commented.

Lhinx's ear then twitched in the direction of the cabin, where a woman in her late twenties stepped out.

"Jimma, Yuriko, where are you?" The woman called.

"Mommy!" The little girl shouted and ran up to the woman.

"Ma!" The first boy let go of Silver's gunblade and ran up to the woman as well.

"There you are." The woman said as she lifted up the little girl and placed a hand on the head of her son. "I wish you two wouldn't run around so close to the-"

The woman then saw both the Ronso and Silver. She just stared at them, a bit of fear in her eyes.

"Ma?" Jimma asked, tugging at her skirt.

(Uh oh...) Lhinx thought. (She looks too scared to say anything. But...)

The woman held Yuriko closer and turned around, turning Jimma around as well, walking back down to the cabin area.

"Did we do something wrong?" The boy who was left asked both the Ronso and the demon.

Silver knelt, picked his gunblade up, spinning it twice with a wrist movement, and put it into his belt. "How likely of a human," Silver said, somehow disappointed and just loud enough for the woman to hear him. "To fear what they do not know, but when it comes to fighting fiends they call into people like you and me, Lhinx, to save their butts."

Lhinx nodded in agreement, watching as the boy who was left ran off after the blitzball from earlier. "As long as we can save them, fear not bad reward for their safety." Lhinx said.

"You're right," Silver said and smiled. "Maybe someday they will understand we aren't the monsters they think we Demons are. I mean, if they managed to understand Ronso weren't monsters... maybe someday I won't be called one either." Silver shook his head a little and smiled. "Well, maybe in a hundred years. I can wait that long, most likely we Demons can't die before we get one hundred and fifty years old or so, just like you Ronso."

"Hmm..." Lhinx began to think. (Come to think of it, how old can we Ronso get? The oldest Ronso I've met were in Elder Kimahri's age group.)

"As long as you have friends who are human and not fear you that a good start. Serenity is Lady Yuna's daughter. Opinion of mass can be swayed by one with such influence."

"I know... she may be Lady Yuna's daughter, but still I don't know nor care if her influence can make us Demons be liked by people. But it's ok, as you say, as long as I have friends that fear me not and care about me... as long as Serenity does, why do I care if other people do?" Silver smiled at his Ronso friend and pat her shoulder. "You make the name of your race high. Every time I've been in Gagazet they treat me like if I were one of them, and now I know a Ronso to whom I can trust my life."

Lhinx smiled at the compliment and patted the demon's shoulder as well.

"And Lhinx know demon that can be trusted with many lives including Lhinx's." The Ronso said proudly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lhinx spotted a man wearing the New Yevon symbol on his clothing. He eyed both the demon and the Ronso suspiciously.

(I dunno why, but I have a feeling we're gonna run into some trouble in Luca.) Lhinx thought.

* * *

Serenity had made her way up to the second level deck as Zephyr and Silver talked. She needed a good whiff of the sea air, hoping it'd be refreshing and help calm her down for the road ahead of them. She leaned against the railing and watched Kilika disappear, merging in with the horizon as the boat steadily made its course; watching it with a serious gaze as she did when she watched Besaid fade away. Closing her eyes, Serenity preserved the moment, and looked down at the first level to see Silver chatting with Lhinx now, missing the scene they had with the children's mother. Smiling to herself, Serenity turned and put her elbows on the railing now, staring out at the sea ahead of them and hoped for the best when they docked on Luca.

* * *

Silver blushed a little and pat her shoulder again. "You watch my tail, and I'll watch yours, and there is no point intended in that," he said, laughing a little and looking up to find Serenity there. He smiled widely and ran towards a pole a few meters away, jumping and kicking it to get to the second level right by Serenity's side.

"Anything interesting?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and staying close to her.

Serenity felt her hair blow back as Silver landed beside her. "Anything interesting?" He had asked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Serenity smiled and closed her eyes as she cuddled up close to him, feeling the warmth that came from him. The wind seemed to have picked up, and it felt a bit chilly up there on the second level. "Nah...just...thinking." Serenity opened her eyes and stared back out at the ocean still ahead of them, and the faraway land that was coming closer. "You're good with kids, I see," Serenity commented and laughed slightly.

* * *

Heavy, clanking footfalls followed Serenity to the upper deck. A favorable wind whipped up as Zephyr stepped off of the stairs, and the gale blew her hair out of her pale, silver-lined face. She leaned against the railing right by the stairs.

The halfling smiled, looking less imposing, more feminine and, to go out on a limb when speaking of a wiry half-Guado, beautiful. Something about the wind made Zephyr seem more natural, something about her hair blowing in the breeze. She looked out over the ocean, attempting to fade into the background as the pair had their moment.

Right now, they could afford to act like this. Best to let them enjoy it, while Zephyr herself romanced the breeze, coaxed the air into a flow that would hasten their journey to Luca. It wasn't difficult, if one only knew the words.

* * *

Lhinx stepped toward the front of the boat, enjoying the spray of ocean water.

Her ear twitched to behind her, hearing footsteps come up to five feet behind her. They then turned and stepped to Lhinx's side, a good distance away from her, but within hearing range still.

"Lovely day isn't it?" The man asked.

Lhinx looked to him, noting him to be the man with the New Yevon symbols from before.

"Yes. Very Nice." Lhinx said, no interest in her tone.

"Yes, perfect for a ride on the sea. Or anything really." The man continued. "Yes, it was a day like this I met my wife. Right on this very boat actually. She was very beautiful. We would go to Blitzball games and go chocobo riding down Miihen Highroad. Any little activity really."

"Is there point to this?" Lhinx asked.

"No no...I'm just a nostalgic fool."

(I'll certainly agree there.) The Ronso thought as the man babbled on and on.

* * *

"Most likely kids are the only humans that don't fear me when they see my fangs. Many people can cheer and whistle if I'm playing blitzball, but in a closer look, they get scared. Children don't." Silver kissed Serenity's cheek and looked at the horizon with her. "What about you? I bet you are as kind with children as you mother was to me when I met her for first time," he said and rest his head next to hers.

* * *

Tallulah walked straight down and into one of the rooms. She threw her bag on the bed and collapsed just next to it on her stomach. Tears rolled down her cheeks, tears of rage, of sorrow, of regret. Everything she felt, just too many feelings mixed inside of her at the time. Silver was now very fond to his new love and had completely forgotten about her. She gave him her virginity... her pureness... her love and her trust.

But so had him. He gave her everything he had and she just threw that away. The biggest mistake of her life, throw away the loving and caring tiger boy for a macho jerk that wanted nothing but sex, even when she still was a young girl of fourteen back then. Now that she had find Silver again she wasn't going to let go of him so easily.

* * *

"...And it was then I decided to become a merchant. I loved to travel, and with my dear Karena at my side my dreams seemed so easily reached." The man wearing Yevon's symbol continued.

"Fascinating..." Lhinx said in a bored tone.

"Mmhmm. Right now, she's pregnant and will be having our first child soon. I'm going back to Luca to be with her right now."

(Doesn't this guy have anyone else to bother?) Lhinx thought.

"You know..." The man continued. "My wife is beginning to support the Youth League."

(Huh?)

"She and I argued so much about it at times, that's partially why she stayed behind at Luca. My family has always followed Yevon and its teachings. They do not know about my wife supporting the Youth League. I'm beginning to wonder whether or not she's right about Yevon though." The man said sadly. "I love my family, but I just feel so confined by what they wish for me to do."

"Ronso not like Yevon much. Do not let others sway decision though. Do what you feel right, not what other feel right." Lhinx said.

"You're right, Ronso. Maybe I shouldn't let my decision be based on what my family did. My wife has always been wise about things, maybe this Youth League thing isn't any different."

Lhinx felt a semi-strong clap on the back.

"Thank you, Ronso, for listening to me. If you need anything while you're in Luca, just go to a vender and say 'I'm a friend of Bobba's.'" The man said.

The man strutted off, making Lhinx sigh in relief.

(Bobba, eh?) Lhinx thought.

* * *

Serenity smiled and nodded slightly. "Children...they aren't as prone to judge people as adults are more likely to. That's what I like about them. If you don't look down at them, and treat them equally, you can have a good relationship with kids. That's what we should do...with all people." Serenity turned her head towards Silver's, then all the way around to stare back down on the first level.

"Lhinx there...she's talking with someone affiliated with New Yevon. Probably not by choice," Serenity said, chuckling a bit, "...But they're still talking. And by the looks of it, not fighting, either. That's the way things should be." Serenity turned her head back and rested her head beside Silver's again. "It may be too much to hope for, but that won't stop me from believing in it." Serenity stared back out at the horizon. "You spoke with Zephyr, right? How is she doing?"

He sighed softly and smiled. "She's doing fine, more cheerful than I've ever seen her, which I don't know if it's something good or something to worry about," he said and laughed a little. "Maybe you are right, people should not discriminate others no matter who or what they are. Just... it'll take me a long time to believe in Yevon. We Demons can thank those 'Maesters' for running the rumor we are monsters from the depths of Hell. But I don't care..." Silver turned and faced Serenity "... As long as you don't see me as a monster I don't care what others think." He placed a soft kiss on her lips and embraced her tightly, still careful to be gentle and not hurting her.

* * *

Lhinx watched the water pass under them, looking for anything that resembled a large sea serpent from when they had arrived at Kilika.

(Can't be too careful.) Lhinx thought as she continued to watch the water.

"Thinkin' of jumpin' in?" A voice asked from beside her.

The Ronso looked up, observing a young sailor barely her age.

"No. Was on ship to Kilika from Besaid and was attacked. Looking for similar fiend." Lhinx said.

"Hmm, I remember hearin' about that. Well, I doubt there'll be another like it around here. I suspect that serpent was just from within the Besaid Island sea. Not a lot of water fiends attack on the way to Luca now since there's so much sailing back and forth between there and Kilika." The sailor said.

He scratched his chin once, looking down at the sea and then back at the Ronso.

"Then again, it could have a cousin or somethin'. But this boat has enough artillery to fend off any danger. Don't worry so much, Ronso."

The sailor walked off, confidence noted in each step.

(I doubt a fancy harpoon or gun is gonna deter this vessel from being overturned.) Lhinx thought. (I wonder where everyone else is?)

* * *

While no one was looking, Zephyr had somehow gotten herself to the top of the flagpole on the upper level of the ship. Her feet were bare, as were her hands, and her jeans were rolled up to reveal a length of pale but muscular leg. Even her leather vest and belt lay on the ground at the base of the pole, allowing her as much freedom of movement as possible.

And so it was that the taciturn Raphaela Guado, known by most as Zephyr, grinned joyfully into the wind as it blew into her face, her obsidian hair flying behind her like a very strange ship's emblem.

While she was aloft, the halfling studiously reminded herself that she was acting as a lookout. If a huge water fiend (or possibly half-fiend, she reminded herself) appeared within miles of the boat, she would be the first to see it through her cobalt spectacles. The first to shout a warning.

But really, she was just goofing off.

* * *

Lhinx sat down, leaning back against the rail guard of the boat and closing her eyes in relaxation.

_"Biran go to Bevelle. New Yevon wish to speak with Ronso." Biran said to Lhinx one day. The two were older now, Biran's horn almost full-grown now. Both were the size of full-grown humans, which would be offsetting to anyone not familiar with the Ronso.  
_

_  
"Elder Kimahri go?" Lhinx asked curiously.  
_

_  
Biran nodded.  
_

_  
"Elder ask Biran and two others to go with him. We strong and protect Elder." Biran said.  
_

_  
"Elder is strong alone." Lhinx said with a bit of annoyance.  
_

_  
"Elder is being careful bringing Biran and others."  
_

_  
"How long be gone?"  
_

_  
"Be back after one week. Lhinx be good while gone?" Biran was joking from his tone.  
_

_  
"Biran need discipline more then Lhinx." Lhinx said as she jabbed him lightly in the arm.  
_

_  
Both laughed, and then Biran walked off where Elder Kimahri waited with two much older Ronso warriors.

* * *

_

Serenity kissed Silver back and felt herself getting lost in the moment of being in Silver's arms. The noises of the ship soon faded away until all she heard was the ocean and its melodic splashing sounds against the boat. _I could spend my life in this sweet surrender..._ As the long, soft kiss ended, Serenity hugged Silver and held onto him tightly. She then let go and took a small step back. "I'll never see you as a monster, Silver." Serenity smiled warmly at him then shielded her eyes as she looked up at the sky, a nice change from staring out at sea, and she opened her mouth in shock.

"Zephyr? She's...at the top of the flagpole!"

Silver smiled kindly and then looked up to where Serenity was looking. "Whoa! Never thought Guado's could be so... agile!" he laughed, since the Guado Glories weren't really the best team and he always saw Guado's walking slowly and steady. "She will be the watch girl." He laughed again and kissed Serenity's nose, and took a deep dive into her eyes. "Maybe the eyes of your mother are really beautiful, but yours just happen to beat them. These two little stars you've got for eyes... I could spend my whole life staring at them."

Serenity laughed as she continued to gaze up at Zephyr. "I didn't know anyone could be so agile!" She giggled and smiled as Silver kissed her nose, and she looked back down at him as he stared into her eyes. She blushed at his comment and squeezed his hands lightly. "And I'll be here, staring back into yours.: Serenity then smiled and kissed his check, and started jumping up and down on the upper deck, swing her arms upward and then downward and all over the place as well. Why? Probably feeding off Zephyr's sudden energy and silliness.

"Can't you see?" Serenity said in a soft singing voice. "There's a feeling that's come over me. Close my eyes," she closed her eyes and then opened them after a moment, looking back at Silver, "You're the only one that leaves me completely breathless. No need to wonder why." Serenity giggled and went back to Silver, hugging him from behind. "Sometimes a gift like this you can't deny." She got up on the railing and steadied herself, holding out her arms beside her as if she was flying.

She took in a deep breath, looking at all the people on the lower floor, and smiled, singing more loudly yet still keeping her voice sweet and in tune. "Cause I wanted to fly, so you gave me your wings. And time held its breath so I could...see, yeah." Serenity jumped backwards, back on the ground, and held onto Silver again. "And you set me free," Serenity whispered.

Silver blushed a bright red and listened to Serenity's angelic voice. He then wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her lips very gently. "I love you so much, Serenity," he whispered and kissed her again, then her neck softly. "I promise you, no matter what happens, I will protect you forever." He was speechless and blushing like he had never blushed before.

"And I love you." Serenity held onto him tightly and smiled, feeling his face becoming warm from blushing. She giggled and only held him more tightly. _'I promise you, no matter what happens, I will protect you forever.'_ Silver's words echoed in her mind, and she blinked suddenly, remembering her dream. She had grabbed onto the necklace he had given her, she on the brink of death, but…_He never came._ Serenity took a couple steps back and shook her head, banishing the thought from her mind. _No, it was only a dream. Only a dream… _Serenity held onto Silver's hand and made her way towards the stairs.

"Let's go find the others. Maybe you could even give me a few pointers on playing blitzball so I'm not such a spaz when we get in that sphere," Serenity joked.

Silver nodded and lifted Serenity in his arms, then jumped down from the balcony they were, landing on his feet and crouching a little. "This way is faster," he said and took her by the hand. "Don't you worry, you'll do just fine. Your father is a great blitzer, you have it in your blood." Silver poked her belly with his tail once again and smiled.

* * *

Lhinx woke up abruptly upon feeling the boat shake a bit at Silver's and Serenity's landing.

The Ronso let out a yawn and stretched both arms. She then stood up and stretched her back, feeling it pop a bit and allow a bit more movement.

Serenity giggled as Silver poked at her belly with his tail again. She poked him in his side with her free hand and made her way over to Lhinx, who seemed to have woken up because of them. "I hope so…it's hard living up to such parents…" Serenity waved cheerfully at Lhinx. "Lhinx! Having a midday nap?" Serenity teased lightly.

* * *

Zephyr slowly developed a more solemn look as she heard the words being sung and spoken below. However much she tried not to let them ruin her fun, she couldn't help it; jaded thoughts crossed her mind with every note of Serenity's song.

She felt sorry for the girl. Zephyr wondered if it ever crossed Serenity's mind that Silver had spoken those same words to Tallulah, in days gone by. If it ever occurred to her that it was a mere facade that every man in Spira put up, whenever he loved a girl. Whenever he liked a girl. Whenever he wanted to get a girl in bed with him.

It wasn't so sacred to men. Which was fine, for this particular Guado halfling, because it wasn't sacred to her either. The stronger sex were usually quite shocked by how strong Zephyr was, physically and mentally. And, of course, how casually, almost coldly she thought of love and lust. It was somewhat disconcerting to come across a straight woman who thought that much like a man.

All around there were calm seas, gently stirred by the breath of madness that carried them forward to Luca. Nothing threatening in sight.

But a tempest, contained within a songstress' heart, in the lower decks.

* * *

"And I thought I was the lazy one here," Silver added and poked Lhinx playfully as well. For some reason, he'd always felt relaxed and happy around the Ronso, even more than he did around his own keen. Ronso had always been nice to him, even taught him some traditions and stuff in the time he spent living with them at Mount Gagazet. "I'm the kitty here, I should be the one sleeping eighteen hours a day," he joked and wrapped both his arm around Serenity's shoulder and his tail around her waist.

"Just bored. Without fiend attack, boat ride dull. But dull good." Lhinx said as she rubbed some sleep from her eyes.

The Ronso looked up at the flagpole, noticing Zephyr up there.

(She sure is agile.) Lhinx thought. (I wonder what she's doing...well now that I think about it she's probably doin' the same thing I was earlier, looking for fiends. That's a better vantage point anyways.)

"Is there temple in Luca? Or it Youth League mostly?" Lhinx asked.

"I have no idea, but for most people in Luca the Sphere is like the sacred place," Silver said. "It was their only cheer in the time of Sin, and it's still the place in Spira everyone can relate with joy and fun. I think there are many Youth Leagues around, like there were Crusaders in the past."

Serenity nodded and lightly placed one hand on one of Silver's arms that was around her shoulders and one on his tail that was around her waist. "Yeah, I think Luca's one of those cities that are neutral, but it is crawling around with all sorts of people from all over Spira. New Yevon priests, Youth League members…I think I even saw a Ronso there the first time I went to Luca." Serenity rested her head on her hand that was holding onto Silver's arm. "Why do you ask, Lhinx?" she asked. She was curious.

"Just curious." Lhinx said. "Kilika crawling with New Yevon soldiers. We go into temple, arouse suspicion. Might have people following."

(And wondering how welcome one would be to Bobba's help. His family is mostly New Yevon, so what does that say about his friends? I'm certain they'd be within that category.)

* * *

Zephyr dropped down from the flagpole in one leap, landing in that strange and impossible pointed-toe crouch with an uncanny grace. "We're almost there," she announced to the ship in general as she pulled on her socks (black-and-white striped boiled wool) and shoes, and eventually her vest and gloves as well. "Or at least," she continued as she stood up and shook her hair out, "it's just visible on the horizon."

(Amazing. Almost like a Ronso.) Lhinx thought when she watched Zephyr land. (But with a grace only a Guado could possess.)

"Lhinx never been to Luca. What it like? Crowded?" Lhinx asked curiously.

"Sure is, people here and there, running all around. Tall buildings, and now that Sin is gone it is getting bigger and bigger. Just like Bevelle and other cities. Now they think it is safe the make them bigger, with lots of machina, and pretty lights like those you can see at Gagazet when the Sun hides" Silver explained "I myself don't like machina that much... though my gunblade is my best friend."

"Not have much machina on Mt. Gagazet, but plenty in Zanarkand. Not big machina, but small. People with spheres come and record everything they see." Lhinx said with a casual demeanor. "Try come on Mt. Gagazet with big machina once. Path too narrow, so they quit."

Serenity looked to the horizon as Zephyr jumped down and said that they were almost there. She couldn't wait till they got off and were on solid ground. And there was so much more to do then sit around on a boat forever. Serenity then glanced back at the ground as they were talking about machina. She wasn't sure what she thought about machina, for the Besaid wasn't exactly machina central.

"I think it'd be a shame to try and put machina on Mt. Gagazet…It's a mountain…and a sacred one at that…But maybe…one day, we could rebuild Zanarkand. Finally piece Spira together again. Though I'm not sure what my mother would say about that…she's rather fond of the ruins. But dad will be able to show her his home at last…" Serenity trailed off. Other than the fact that rebuilding Zanarkand was one far off idea…_If…no, __when__ we find them._

"I was borne in those ruins and spent my early childhood there. I like Zanarkand the way it is, save for all those tourists that former Summoner Isaaru brings there" Silver fixed his eyes on the horizon and managed to see Luca very distant "It would be cool to have the original Zanarkand back, as they are trying hard to rebuild Spira's glory like before the Time of Sin."

"But that technology and stuff was what ended up becoming the Great War, and from that war Sin was borne by that Yevon guy, or so Maechen told me when I was a kid. Maybe they can rebuild what Sin destroyed, but let them not overdo it... I don't want my kids to grow up in a world that is dying because people can't learn from their past mistakes."

Silver hugged Serenity tighter, like having the vision of what the Spira could turn into and wanting to protect her.

(The future, eh? What will mine be like...) Lhinx wondered as she listened to Silver. (Will the future Ronso know not to hate the Guado and Yevon? Maybe I can teach them not to.)

Lhinx felt her heart sink a bit.

(But will I have to do it alone?)

Serenity shook her head and laughed a bit bitterly. "…Is Isaaru still doing that? How very cruel that him of all people could turn Zanarkand into a tourist attraction. He may have wanted to see Zanarkand, but…I think he's going about it the wrong way. And you've got a point, Silver. Maybe they could build Zanarkand in within the ruins. Sort of a reminder, you know? Spira's been doing well so far with the machina, I'm sure it will be fine."

Serenity felt Silver hug her tighter, and she smiled slightly. "You plan on having kids, huh, Silver? Oh, invite me to the wedding!" She asked, never really thinking about the future. She lived a sort of sheltered life back on Besaid, and ever since starting this journey, her future could end tomorrow, so she never really thought about it. "Well, whatever happens, we'll be there for each other, right guys? We'll help shape each other's futures."

Zephyr smiled and sat on the railing, looking thoughtfully at the other members of her group. "In my future," she said with an odd glint in her eye, "I hope to attain forgiveness for. . . my kind. A pardon for our less moral deeds, maybe even recognition of our good points, hm?"

The half-Guado smirked and gave Lhinx a playful shove, surprisingly strong for a wiry little thing such as herself. "I think you and I will see a lot of one another even after we find the missing Gullwings. . . we have a bridge to build."

"That sound good. Hope Lhinx father's heart change about Guado. Ronso opinion slowly favoring Guado, but need push." Lhinx said, shaking her head a bit. "You stronger then you look, Zephyr."

* * *

Silver kissed Serenity's neck and smiled widely, laughing very softly as she told him about the wedding. He blushed, for he wanted to propose her in that very second all of sudden, but decided not to for he had no ring to give her and that was no romantic place for doing so. "Of course we will always be there, no matter what happens" Silver tilted the bullet hanging from Serenity's neck and kissed her cheek "Just, look at this as our very own pilgrimage.

He looked at Zephyr and pat her shoulder. "Well, you already got one buddy, both Guado and Demons we are not very liked by humans. Count me in."

Zephyr chuckled, that odd glint remaining like an unquenchable flame in her eyes, and smiled. "You might misunderstand," she said quietly, nearly inaudibly, "but I trust that won't matter too much."

(Now what's that supposed to mean?) Lhinx wondered about Zephyr's last comment.

Luca was getting closer. Lhinx heard children squealing with delight and could see an eager child tugging at his father's pants and pointing to the large city.

_"Papa! Papa look! Elder Kimahri back!" A very young Lhinx pulled at her father's tail and pointed towards the lumbering Ronso elder as he made his way up the trail to his people. __  
_

_  
The black mane male Ronso looked down at the Ronso pup and smiled.  
_

_  
"Go greet with others." Garik said to his daughter as he patted her on the head and watched _

_the eager Lhinx run off._


	28. Return to the Place Where We First Met

(Haha, yes, Silver is based off a lot of different people, isn't he? Ah well, that's what makes him cool, ne? Hai, Zephyr's an awesome name. Too bad we lose some people later on…but it gets really good! I'm sure you'll all like it! Thanks for the comment, Desertman!)

**Return to the Place Where We First Met**

The boat was close enough to Luca for Lhinx to hear the crowds within the sphere stadium.

(So this is Luca. Wow, Elder Kimahri was right, this is a rather noisy place.)

Zephyr smirked. "Well, here we are again," she said. The halfling turned to Silver. "We don't have enough people in our group to make up a blitz team, do we? I don't remember how many players there are on each side. . ."

"Six on each side. One keeper, two defensive, two central and one lead on the attack. And there are seven of us, so we got one reserve," Silver looked at Lhinx. "As a Ronso I bet you can keep your breath for a real long time, just like we Demons do. So maybe you could be our keeper... I am then good central or attacker, as long as I'm no defensive... I get too rude then."

Silver laughed a little. "I heard Kai is good, and... Tallulah is a pretty good defensive player herself. That makes four of us..." He kind of blushed a little when he mentioned Tallulah, but then smiled again and hugged Serenity tighter.

"Oh, Kai is good. Great even. He's usually always away from the island playing blitzball for some odd team…" Serenity trailed off, and focused her attention on the stadium as the boat came closer to the dock instead of how little she's been with her own brother growing up. "I think…I'll take the reserve. We do want to win, after all, don't we?" Serenity giggled.

"Lhinx not play blitzball in long time. Slow underwater, so Lhinx happy to be keeper." Lhinx then looked down toward Serenity. "You do fine. Serenity father good, so Serenity must be good. Must try to find out."

(We get to play? I hope I'm not too rusty...) The Ronso youth thought.

Zephyr shrugged. "I'm a quick swimmer and I've got a good arm from lugging my gun around and throwing grenades," she said offhandedly. Briefly, the mischievous halfling pondered the tossing of some waterproof grenades in the blitz sphere. "I wonder how Lucine is at blitz?" she added, hoping no one caught that funny glint in her eye that she was told existed when she was thinking innovative (some called them insane) thoughts.

* * *

The boat pulled to a slow glide down toward a soft halt. Lhinx looked toward the other docks where she could barely make out 6 gray masses on one of the docks. 

(It's the Ronso Fangs!) Lhinx's tail swished around in anticipation. (Larit, Junpei, Zeik, Brun, Olea and Toru!)

* * *

"Then you could be our central, or even our attacker," Silver told Zephyr, then looked at Serenity. "And you play even if I have to warm the bench, eh? It's not that hard to play blitzball and I'm not letting you leave Luca until you play." 

Serenity laughed nervously. She was really glad that her friends were supporting her and wanted her to play but…she was certain that Kai had gotten most of Tidus' blitzball playing abilities, if not all. And she wasn't ready to try it out in front of people and prove herself right. "Well, if you guys insist…" Serenity said a bit uncertainly.

Serenity looked over the other docks as their boat finally pulled in. She stretched her hands in front of her. "I am so glad that we didn't get attacked this time around. Let's get off this boat before anything does happen."

"At your command, m'lady," Silver said, lifting the freezer pack and the bags again, along with his beloved blitzball. Then he remembered…Tallulah was still downstairs. He wanted to go and tell her they've got to Luca, but he knew that he and Serenity were the least persons she wanted to see. "Lhinx, may I ask you a favor? Can you go downstairs tell Tallulah we're already here?" Silver smiled at her and took Serenity's hand, nodding at the Ronso and walked off the boat.

"Tiger here!" someone shouted in a happy voice and soon they were surrounded by Ronsos. The Ronso Fangs...Silver's very first team.

Lhinx fought the urge to go greet her fellow Ronso, but followed through with her favor to Silver.

(There'll be plenty of time to talk to them later...) Lhinx thought.

She made her way towards the cabin and entered the door. There she went down the stairs and looked around, sniffing the air for any traces of the songstress' scent.

(There she is!) Lhinx thought and walked in.

"Tallulah? We in Luca already. Time to go." Lhinx said, approaching slowly the songstress.

(Has she been...crying?) Lhinx wondered.

"Tallulah...okay?" Lhinx asked, concern noted in her tone.

* * *

Tallulah sat up and saw Lhinx standing there. She was taken aback by her huge size at first, but then she was hit by reality. "Yeah, I'm ok" Tallulah lied, brushing the tears off her eyes "I just got a little seasick." Of course, that wasn't true either, since she loved the sea. But she was lovesick... to such an extreme she wished Serenity was an unsent or something and she could get rid of her somehow. But she knew that wasn't possible. Revenge would come... but not something like killing her, it was better to hurt her soul and not her body. 

"We in Luca already? That was fast," she said while jumping off bed and taking her bag and her staff. Tallulah looked up at the Ronso and faked a smile "Lhinx, I need your help. Can you please walk just right in front of me until we get off the boat? I'm not feeling like having people all around me asking for an autograph or something."

* * *

Serenity smiled uncertainly as Silver spoke with the Ronso that had come and surrounded them to talk to Silver. They were all quite tall and Serenity felt out of place, especially since she didn't know any of them. Serenity took all the bags that she could carry from Silver, feeling it was best he have a good one-to-one chat with them. "I'll just…put these in the locker room…or something…" Serenity said softly, and bowed out of the group, which was hard to do properly with the bags, and made her way down the length of the dock towards the stadium.

* * *

"Tiger been ok?" one of the Ronso asked him, the one he could recognize as Brun, the main attacker. 

"It's been a long time, pals," Silver said, laughing, almost embarrassed by the attention of his former teammates. "What you all doing here? It's not Blitz season just yet."

"Brun and others came for favor. Elder Kimahri not happy lately, no Ronso happy if Elder isn't. We come for training. Brun wins cup for Gagazet and make Elder Kimahri happy," Brun said, looking down at Silver, who even when he was almost as tall as Lhinx was still too short next to him or any of the other Ronso Fangs.

"Hey, that's nice!" Silver said. "We are planning on playing some blitzball, maybe you could be our opponents... oh, sorry," Silver looked back at Serenity and smiled kindly at her, but a little worried she went all by herself.

"Tiger's woman?" Another Ronso, Toru, asked with a strange grin as he pointed his finger at Serenity fading in the distance. Silver just blushed a lot and looked down at his feet. "You could say so."

* * *

"Hey, I'll play center,"Zephyr offered with a shrug. "I mean, all I have to do is catch the ball and throw it to you, right?" The halfling chuckled, and patted Silver on the back. "Take it easy, 'Tiger'," she advised, using the name the Ronso had called him by. 

Zephyr smirked and stepped off the boat, strolling down the wooden dock with a relaxed gait. She wondered - was this the place where he stepped, so long ago, addressing the masses gathered for the great game? Probably not, she knew, because Yevon had controlled a different dock then and New Yevon controlled selfsame now. It was a shame, but no matter. It wasn't that important, she realized, to be like Lord Seymour; it was important for people to understand him, though. And no one understood him like Raphaela Guado, alias Zephyr.

Once she was about halfway down the dock, she turned on her heel and waited for her group. They always seemed to take so long...but she could see they were positively occupied, speaking with the Fangs. She wondered if a single member of that team would ever look her in the eye. Their condensed gene pool, born from the few Ronso that survived Seymour's attack, had produced even stronger beings. And beautiful; at least, Zephyr thought so. They were so many things that she would never be.

* * *

Silver smiled at Zephyr and nodded as she past by. Then his attention was once again on the Ronso Fangs. All of them where looking at Zephyr with some... hard feelings, but he could not smell hatred coming from them. "Hey, guys, what's with the grim faces? Last time I saw you we had a joyfully party, remember? Well, come on and tell me how is life back in Gagazet." He tried to make them forget about Zephyr and the race she was fro a while, at least until he had time to introduce them properly. 

"I'm traveling with a Ronso, you know. Lhinx Ronso, she is pretty strong and kind, and even attractive in the Ronso way" Silver laughed as he smirked and the Fangs once again smiled.

"Woman with emerald and sapphire eyes, she just like High Summoner Yuna... she something of High Summoner?" Toru asked and Silver couldn't help but nod.

"Yes, she is Lady Yuna's daughter. Her name is Serenity. We are all traveling together. An Al-Bhed girl called Lucine, Lhinx, that Guado girl you just saw... Lady Tallulah Moonlight..." When Silver mentioned her, it kind of triggered the attention of all the Fangs "... Serenity's brother called Kai and me."

"So Tiger with daughter of High Summoner? Tiger just the same as Brun remembers." The Ronso kind of laughed when saying this and made Silver blush the most. "But Tiger was with Lady Tallulah, Tiger left Lady Tallulah?"

"That's ancient history, pal. I don't wanna talk about it. Let's wait here till my friends get off the ship and I'll introduce you, then we can go join Serenity at the Stadium." He looked up at Brun and pat his stone-solid chest with the back of his hand. "So you wanna win the cup this year, huh? Well, the tournament is still a long way ahead, if I'm back from my journey before it starts I might help you win again."

The Ronso Fangs laughed in the way only Ronso could, with that deep, mighty voices. "Tiger as _cocky_ as ever," Brun said, and for the way he pronounce 'cocky' it was obvious he still wasn't used of talking that way, even when Silver had tried to teach them several years ago, "He makes us win cup for Elder this time and Ronso build make a big party. Why Tiger always traveling?"

Silver laughed. "This time is not a pleasure trip, you know. But I think we can save that for later."

* * *

Serenity plopped down the bags on top of one of the benches in a spare locker room, and then fell upon the bench herself. She may have carried the lightest stuff, but to carry them all at once made the load quite heavy. Serenity then smiled inwardly and lied back on the bench amongst the bags. She was finally first going somewhere and now she could take the time waiting of the others to relax and unwind. 

Though with the loud cheering coming from the stadium from the unclosed locker room door, that proved to be quite a challenge, but it didn't bother her too much. Serenity sat up and bent her head down, lifting her hair up and waving her hand behind her neck as a primitive fan. The noise made her unable to think clearly and that was just wanted she wanted and needed at the moment. "Just breathe," Serenity whispered to herself, and let her hair drop down, shaking her head.

* * *

Lhinx nodded to Tallulah and preceded to walk in front of the songstress. 

(She was lying about her tears. I could smell. I guess its best not to push the issue too much though.)

"We play blitzball soon." Lhinx said to Tallulah as the came onto the deck. "That sound fun?"

Tallulah walked with her hands resting on Lhinx's back, so close to her that her breast was actually touching the back of her hands. She tried to move like the Ronso's shadow as they got off the boat. "Sounds like fun to me...Silver is a good teacher when it comes to either fighting, history lessons or Blitzball" she lowered her head and brushed her tears away once again. "You wanna greet your fellow Ronso?"

Lhinx nodded to Tallulah and approached the Fangs.

"Little Lhinx!" Olea, the female right defender of the Ronso Fangs, ran up to Lhinx and hugged her tightly. "Little Lhinx not as little now."

"Olea still bigger though." Lhinx said with a grin.

Olea laughed.

"You travel with Tiger, where going to?" Olea asked with Zeik coming up behind her.

"Favor for Elder Kimahri. Looking for Lady Yuna." Lhinx said, looking up at both of the older Ronso.

"Biran worried about Lhinx." Zeik said with a worried expression.

Lhinx's head sunk a bit, her ears drooping with a bit of depression now.

"Biran big Ronso, will be okay." Olea said, patting Lhinx hard on the back.

"Fan give Zeik item when come here." Zeik said, quickly changing the subject.

"What item?" Lhinx asked curiously.

"It ancient charm, not know where come from, but it got strong magic." Zeik paused, looking around, then to Olea, who nodded. He then bent his head down to Lhinx's ear and whispered. "It can make Ronso look human."

Lhinx's eyes widened.

Zeik stood back up straight, looking wearily toward Zephyr who stood off waiting for the group.

"You travel with half-Guado." Zeik said with obvious disapproval in his voice.

"What your point?" Lhinx asked, feeling a bit of anger.

"Be careful, little Lhinx. This all we saying." Olea said with concern in her eyes. "Ronso not only side with grudge."

"Zephyr is Lhinx friend. Not have to be careful with Zephyr, she is important part of group." Lhinx replied.

"Lhinx better pray Biran not find out." said another Ronso female, Larit, who held the left attack position on the blitzball team. She had walked up to the little group.

"Lhinx not have to answer to Biran!" Lhinx raised her voice this time.

"Lhinx telling us or herself?" Larit asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

Olea shook her head and placed her hand on Lhinx's shoulder.

"Lhinx still young. Will make up mind on own and make right decision." Olea said with a smile to the young Ronso.

"Oh, so you know each other pretty well," Silver said, standing next to Lhinx. Ronsos all around here, maybe if he was somebody else, most likely a human, he would feel just too intimidated to say anything near so many huge creatures. But he liked Ronsos, even could have a crush on one if he found any that was his tall. But all of them where bigger and broader than poor Silver Fang.

"Yes, Olea like big sister to Lhinx. Zeik cousin to Lhinx, and Larit teach Lhinx how to swim," Lhinx said with pride.

"Knew Lhinx sense she was pup. She good Ronso and will be excellent warrior when older." Zeik said, ruffling Lhinx's white hair playfully.

"Until then, she still little Lhinx, but big problem." Olea said while poking Lhinx's rib in a tickling gesture.

"Lhinx be big before she know it." Larit said with a small smile.

Lhinx looked to Larit. The older Ronso female gave her one of those older sibling kind of looks that said "You better do what's right if you know what's good for you."

(Why can't she just leave me alone about Biran?) Lhinx thought with a bit of anger.

Silver looked at the female Ronso talking to each other and listened carefully. Something about Lhinx traveling with Zephyr wasn't right for them.

_The old battle Seymour started..._

"Hey, girls calm down. We haven't seen each other in a long time, let's just go play some blitzball and have some drinks after that. Serenity must be waiting for us at the Lockers," Silver said, smiling at the all of them and waiting to see Lucine and Kai walk down the boat.

* * *

Lucine stepped off the boat, glad to be back on dry land. The ocean was great...for a while. But after even a few hours, everything started to look the same. She walked past Silver, Tallulah and Lhinx who were talking to some other Ronsos. She hovered around them for a few seconds, but decided she better move on. She had no idea what the were talking about. "I guess I should've gotten off of the boat sooner..." She said quietly, looking around for someone else to talk to. and since Serenity was nowhere to be found, the only person left was Zephyr. 

She walked a ways down the dock and came upon Zephyr. Lucine set her bags down and stood beside her, hands behind her back. She took a quick glance at Zephyr, then looked back down at the ground. _Should I say something to her...?_ Lucine thought. Zephyr wasn't always the easiest person to start up a conversation with. "So...Zephyr...did you enjoy the boat ride?"

* * *

"Yes, Fangs should go to locker room now. Will see you and team later, Tiger, Lhinx." Brun said to his teammates. 

"Good luck." Olea said as she left with the other Ronso. As the Ronso Fangs left, Lhinx looked to her friends.

"Lhinx hope not have to play Ronso Fangs." Lhinx said with about the same tone as she usually had. She then looked behind her to Tallulah.

"Tallulah can come out now." Lhinx said.

* * *

"Why not play with them? I know they are pretty good but we can do better. You have the former star of their team standing right in front of you," Silver joked and made a hero-like pose with the his blitzball, same that he broke when he saw Tallulah coming from behind Lhinx. "How much longer were you planning to hide behind Lhinx? You know your lavender perfume betrays you" Silver said, smiling kindly. 

_She is mad at you... __  
__But why? I have the right to be with whomever I want... __  
__She gave herself to you... __  
__And I to her, and she betrayed me and went after that Yevonite jerk... __  
__But she has changed... __  
__So have I, and I love Serenity... __  
__You'll lose Tallulah, then? __  
__The only way for me to be with her is as her friend, nothing more..._

"So only Kai is still on the ship, eh?" Silver asked and put thumb and index finger into his mouth to whistle real loud, calling for him.

* * *

Tallulah came out from behind Lhinx with her staff tight in her hands. She was a little nervous for some reason, but she still glared at Silver. How could he be smiling at her, or talking to her like that after he'd done. He was now with another woman, and Tallulah really wished she could hate him... but she couldn't. 

"I'm not feeling like signing autographs right now" she said, explaining herself. "So, are we going to play blitzball?"

* * *

The halfling grinned and gave Lucine a playful shove, which begged the question: who was this girl and what had she done with Zephyr Guado? 

"You must have been below decks when I played lookout," she said, smoothing her hair back out of her eyes and returning it to its sloppy bun. The sea breeze that had been in effect ever since they arrived suddenly died down, the wind only returning occasionally to blow Zephyr's bangs out of place in protest. "I climbed up the flagpole. The seas were remarkably calm on our trip. . . a run of good luck, maybe," she added, mostly to herself.

"You any good at blitzball, Lucine? I'm playing center, Silver's attacking and Lhinx is the goalie. I think Tallulah's playing either attack or defense, and Tiger over there will drag Serenity into the sphere if it kills him." Zephyr smirked. "I'd rather play Sphere Break, personally. I hardly need a physical workout, but my brain is growing lazier and lazier these days." She spoke cheerfully and easily, a pleasant change from her usually taciturn self.

"...eh..?" Lucine said as she stumbled to the side, being totally un-prepared for Zephyr's shove. She stood up straight and looked at Zephyr, eyes wide. _She's kinda scary when she's nice..._Lucine thought, still staring at her. Then Zephyr's question brought her out of it.

"You any good at blitzball, Lucine? I'm playing center, Silver's attacking and Lhinx is the goalie. I think Tallulah's playing either attack or defense, and Tiger over there will drag Serenity into the sphere if it kills him." Zephyr smirked.

Returning to normal, Lucine was prepared to answer. "Well...I've played before, but..." she looked out into the Ocean, thinking. "I'm small, so I wouldn't be much help on defense, so maybe offense? I'm pretty fast."

"Should get to locker rooms and sign up desk first." Lhinx said. "Can Silver get team in?"

* * *

Serenity sat up on the bench, propping her elbows behind her as a support. She figured she could take a look around the stadium since she didn't really have time to the last time she was there. So with that, Serenity sat up and walked out of the locker room, keeping the door slightly ajar as she left. The main part of the stadium seemed to be clearing out, for the last blitzball game had ended, and it was being prepared for the next one, the game they were most likely going to play. Leaning against a nearby railing, Serenity looked about. This was where her father played blitzball...where her mother had her first concert. Serenity stared and hoped that her memories of the place would be just as good.

* * *

"Will do, just have to find my cousin. Let's all go to the Stadium and meet Serenity" he whistled again for Kai "Hey, Kai, we are going to the Stadium! Leave that blonde cutie you are making out with and come here!" Silver joked and went towards Lucine and Zephyr. "Ready, m'ladies?" he offered both his arms for the girls to take. 

As Lucine was talking to Zephyr, she saw Silver approach.

"Ready, m'ladies?" Silver said, offering his arms.

"Are you sure, silver?" Lucine said with a joking smile. "I don't think Serenity would be too happy about it." She giggled, and took his arm anyway. She was sure Serenity wouldn't mind. "So, are we going to play a game of Blitzball now?"

Zephyr smirked, and passed on Silver's arm. "Blame it on independent woman syndrome," she explained in brief. She walked ahead of the group towards the locker rooms. "I envision this being a very strange blitzball game," she muttered under her breath. "I'll have to wear a wetsuit, all of this clothing will weigh me down in the sphere. . ." The half-Guado allowed herself to sink into thought, planning on asking one of the Guado Glories to borrow their wetsuit and goggles. It wasn't as if she carried them around in her pocket, or something. Although with all the junk in her pockets, it wasn't entirely beyond the bounds of the imagination.

Lhinx hadn't even thought about her clothing and getting wet. Upon hearing part of what Zephyr had said, the Ronso youth's thoughts began to go towards the subject.

(Of course, I'll be underwater, so naturally I'll get wet. I'll have to take off my vest and armor so I'll be able to move around a little better, but I don't want the rest of my clothes getting wet. I suppose I'll have to tough it out.)

As she followed behind the group, Lhinx recalled what Zeik had said about Biran.

(Why is he so worried? He's got his own problems and I can take care of myself.) She crossed her arms over her chest. (Zeik better not get any ideas during the game, or he'll have problems.)

* * *

Silver laughed as he let Lucine take his arm and made a weird face when Zephyr refused it. He shook his head, smiling a little and offered it to either Lhinx or even Tallulah to take it, for he didn't want her to think he was mad at her or something. He wasn't the kind that kept hard feelings... unless somebody dared to hurt a beloved one of his. 

"A wetsuit... whoa! I think it'll take all of me to not distract myself with that" Silver joked "I'll just wear what I have. It's designed for blitz and shall dry soon, and my mask is as good as goggles." He adjusted the freezer pack on his back with a slight movement of his spine and continue walking. "Now all we have to do is find my cousin... good old Dabion I'm sure he will let us have a few rounds inside the Sphere."

"Don't make that face, Silver," Zephyr said with a smile. "You have plenty of beautiful women to call upon, so why clutter your image with a gawky halfling girl?" Although she was tall and erred on the side of skinny, Zephyr was by no means gawky, as she was all muscle. The image of her in a wetsuit was, as Silver had suggested in jest, difficult to clear from one's mind.

Lhinx waved off Silver's arm politely.

"Thank you, but Ronso independent too." Lhinx said. "Lhinx too scary for escort."

The Ronso had never really worried about being attractive before. The issue was never much of a concern, especially with all of the slimmer, smaller Ronso females around for the males to enjoy and her own chores to complete. Lhinx was used to fighting/playing with males and had gained a reputation for being a strong female. However, being attractive was never something she felt she was good at or worth any of her time.

Tallulah made a slight grumpy face but then changed it into a smile and took Silver's arm. It may be her first step on her way to get him back. "I'm playing; I'll be defense. But I'll need a bikini or something, my sarong I can't wear and I won't swim in underpants."

Hearing everybody talk about wetsuits made Lucine look down at what she was wearing. Boots, a skirt, a small tank top and some gloves. Not exactly what you would wear into the Sphere. And she did have a bathing suit underneath, but it was a bikini...with all that movement inside the Sphere...something might...slip. "Eh...I think I might try and find a wetsuit somewhere. If the Al Bhed Psyches are playing, they might loan me one. My friend Keppel is playing on the team this year."

"Don't you worry; there are wetsuits to borrow at the Locker Rooms. We are no official team so you can just borrow them. I don't think there are any teams besides the Ronso Fangs, it isn't time for the Tournament yet." Silver suddenly went into shock, with a shiver crawling up his spine. "Wait a second! Lady Yuna is the one in charge of the opening of the blitz season! That means... we better find her like real soon or there can't be any games! She is like a leader for Spira even when she is retired, I don't think anyone would like the Tournament to be started by any Yevonites... nor Youth League... darn it!"


	29. No Rest for the Wicked

(Wow, I am so glad you like the story and that it's easy to follow, RTS! I've always worried about how easy it was to read, but people have been saying it's good, so I'm happy. Yeah, the names are unique, ne? Hope you like this new chapter! I really like how the story moves on from this point. So much twists coming up!)

**No Rest for the Wicked**

Zephyr ran ahead to the Guado Glories locker room, and remembered with a chuckle the events of just a few days prior. Oh well.

The Glories were in the room, being moody over a loss in their previous game. The halfling smirked and snuck up behind a female Guado with uncontrollable cobalt blue hair. Maelstra, the goalie and stockiest of the Glories (not saying much; she was built similarly to Zephyr) squeaked amusingly when Zephyr's strong hands clamped down on her shoulders.

"Raphaela," she breathed when she turned around on the bench. "Don't scare me like that." The rest of the team were watching the pair warily, with distrustful looks towards Zephyr.

"What do you want?" Maelstra asked, a bit irritably, and lowered her voice. "I wish you wouldn't talk to me in front of the team like this, Raphie..."

The halfling blinked, a bit surprised, and shook her head with a humorless smile. "I was just going to ask for a wetsuit to wear when I go into the sphere," she said simply. "I'm traveling with a group that's looking for the High Summoner - but, oh! I'm sorry, Maelstra," Zephyr said, feigning realization and concern in her voice. "I must be cramping your style here. I won't tell you about my efforts to save the hero of Spira because it's just clearly not worth your time from halfling trash like myself."

"There's a suit in the locker by the door," Maelstra said through clenched teeth. "Take it and leave, Raphie - I'll talk to you later."

"Gods damn it all," Zephyr muttered as she opened the locker and snatched the wetsuit inside. "You people will never change. . ." And with that, she stormed out, with the Guado Glories watching her every movement. It was a halfling's fault that they had their current reputation. They weren't to be trusted.

* * *

Lhinx looked about the hallway of locker rooms. Most of them had team logos, some she recognized, others too incoherent to read. Her ear twitched in the direction of the Guado Glories locker room.

(Hope none of the Guado come out. Last thing I need is a confrontation.) Lhinx thought.

She raised her head up quickly when Zephyr walked quite angrily out of that the aforementioned locker room. "Zephyr, what happened?" Lhinx asked with concern.

* * *

When they got to the locker rooms, Silver sniffed the air for Serenity. She wasn't there. The strawberry perfume was getting weaker, proof that she had been there but was no more. He let all of the girls and looked around, sharpening his ear to hear the slightest sign trace of Serenity's sweet voice. 

"She isn't in here... I think I'll go look for her," Silver said and stepped into their free locker, which on the door read 'Guest teams'. He let the bags and the freezer pack on the floor, and then went to search for Serenity.

* * *

Serenity had made her way to the opposite side of the stadium, her hand tracing along the railing as she went. Then she leaned against the railing once again, staring around. Serenity was so consumed in just staring that she jumped when someone had tapped her on the shoulders. Turning around, Serenity met face to face with the captain of the Luca Goers. 

"Lady Yu—Serenity," the man said, dejected at first, but then another smile soon came across his face.

Serenity looked at him for a moment, before smiling uncertainly and nodding at him, turning back to stare at the sphere as they began refilling it with water. "…Hello," she said simply.

Running a hand through his hair, the man took a full-bodied glance at her before he leaned against the railing beside her. "I'm sorry; you must be called your mother a lot. I'm Nedus." Seeing no immediate reaction to his name, Nedus spoke again. "Bickson's son. _The_ Bickson, the old star player of the Luca Goers. He played against your dad, you know."

Serenity shrugged lazily. She wondered where this conversation was going, and began wondering if the others had arrived yet. "I'm used to it. I find it an honor, and not a curse," Serenity looked back at him briefly, keeping in a laugh, before looking somewhere else, "…Nedus."

"I notice you're interested in blitzball as well," he went on. "Too bad we won't be having an opening season. I think everyone's getting tired of all these pointless games that hold no standing in the tournament."

Serenity leaned forward a bit, then turned her head at him. "Alright, I'll bite. Why won't we be having an opening season?"

Nedus turned so that his back was leaning against the railing, and he crossed his arms. "Lady Yuna's not around to begin it. And we all know blitzball isn't anything without the High Summoner's blessings." Serenity felt like he had a hint of sarcasm in his voice, and she shook her head, a bit angry. "No one wants it to be started by New Yevon, or the Youth League…If only _someone_," Nedus cocked his head towards her, "could take her place. Of course, we all know no one could actually take her place, but…you get the idea."

Serenity stood up straight, crossing her arms as well. "No, I really don't," she said, a bit edgy, and wished he would just leave her alone to admire the stadium as she was before his arrival.

* * *

Zephyr turned to face Lhinx, imposing Ronso that she was, and couldn't help but laugh. "It's nothing," she said, smiling broadly at her comrade. She waved the stretchy, Zephyr-shaped suit in her hand. "I've got my wetsuit emblazoned with the Guado emblem, although the Glories probably hate me more than the Fangs do." Not that she could blame them, which was the worst part. She was everything they thought she was: strong, fast, intelligent, power-hungry and insane. Just like he had been. "I hope the rest of the group won't mind me playing with another team's colors," she muttered. "I just find the irony too wonderful to pass up." 

Somehow or other, she was welcome here, with this stocky Ronso girl and the rest of her unusual companions. The only ones who would get up and do something about the missing High Summoner were the ones that had little comfort to distract them, no real home to tie them down.

* * *

As they walked into the locker rooms, Silver let go of her arm and wandered off mumbling something about finding Serenity. Tallulah was standing near her, having been let go also. Lucine felt a bit awkward standing in the hall with her, so started rocking back and forth on her feet. Then she took a quick glance at Tallulah. "Um...I think I'm going to look for wet suit..." She said, walking down the hall. 

Lucine made her way to the end of the hall, peeking inside all of the locker rooms. Most of them were empty, although she saw that the Luca Goers were in theirs. Other than that...well...since the High Summoner Yuna wasn't here to start the games...not very many teams had come. And the ones that were here were just practicing. So she stepped quietly into one of the rooms, checking the lockers for any spare wetsuits. All of them were excessively big. "Oh, phooey.." She said, holding up the enormous suit. "This is disasterific!"

* * *

"Serenity!" Silver finally caught up with her, talking to a guy wearing the Goers colours. He made a grumpy face until he saw Serenity wasn't really talking to him but just wishing he would go... or so he could tell by the look on her face. Silver smiled and walked calmly towards them both, then faced the Goer. 

"You are here for practice too, Nedus?" Silver asked, recognizing the old teammate. He had been in almost every blitz team on Spira at least once, so he really knew most of the pro players as well. He put an arm around Serenity's waist, keeping his lips from curving into a smile as he kind of glared at Nedus and the way he looked at Serenity.

* * *

"Wet suit..." Lhinx's voice noted with a bit of confusion. (We always just wore our clothes to swim in...After I stopped practicing for blitzball, I began wearing these clothes...) Lhinx thought. 

"Not big problem wearing other team color, other team might give ball to Zephyr." Lhinx joked as she looked around for the others.

"_Very_ disasterific!" Lucine said, still holding the impossibly large wetsuit. "Fine! Then I'll go search another locker room!" She stomped out of the room, accidentally bumping into something furry. Lucine looked up, and saw that she had bumped into Lhinx. "Oh, sorry about that Lhinxie..." She said, giving a small smile. Then she noticed Zephyr was with her, holding a wet suit. "Oh, so you guys found one! This is the only one I found." She held up the gigantic wetsuit. "It almost looks like it'd fit you, Lhinx!"

(Me...wear a wetsuit?) Lhinx imagined what would happen if the Ronso Fangs saw her. (I'd never live that down...) "Lhinx not wear wet suit. Ronso thing." Lhinx said. "But thank you."

"Oh, no. That's alright." Lucine said, folding up the wetsuit. "I've never seen a Ronso in one of these. But wouldn't it be funny?" She giggled at the thought. "So...that still leaves me wetsuit-less. But I guess if it comes down to it, I can just wear my regular bathing suit."

"Long as pervert not on other team." Lhinx said. "But who wear such big wet suit? Not many humans my size."

"Pervert?" Tallulah asked, walking towards them. She was no longer wearing her sarong and wrap, but a skimpy purple bikini that accentuated her figure. It consisted in a tight, revealing top and a thong, both tied well enough for it to be real hard to fall while playing blitzball... even when it left little to imagination. "You talking about Silver? He's not that pervert, in fact I almost had to hypnotize him on our first night because he was too shy. Though I don't know how many new girls he have slept with since then."

* * *

"Serenity!" 

Serenity looked past Nedus and smiled brightly as Silver came up to them. She was relieved that he finally came over, and tried not to laugh at the look on Nedus's face as Silver put an arm around her waist.

Nedus looked from one to the other with the look of complete impossibility written all over his face. Clearing his throat, Nedus brushed another hand through his hair. "Well, well, if it isn't Silver Fang himself," Nedus said. "Yeah, the rest of the Goers and me are here for _practice_," he said rather tediously. "As I was explaining to the pretty lady." Nedus smiled at her, and Serenity resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead turned her head away.

"You actually found a team to stay on, Fang? Or are you still flinging from team to team, trying to start off the Zanarkand Abes again?" He laughed as if it was a joke. It looked like he was still upset that Silver probably never asked him to join, since he's _so_ great and all. "And aren't you the womanizer, Fang. Wrapping your arm around Lady Serenity. Aren't you with that _hot_ singer…what's her name again? Talia…Tally…Tanya…" Nedus scrunched up his face as if thinking really hard. "Well, whatever her name is."

Silver glared down at him, since he was taller than the Goer and turning his free hand into a fist. A loud crack of his knuckles could be heard around. "Point number one, Mr. Son-of-almighty-jerk her name is Tallulah Moonlight... point number two we are no longer together." Silver looked angry, but not enough to waste his time on getting that guy for his words... not unless he dared to insult Serenity or Lady Yuna.

"And point number three, yes, I am still trying to start off the Zanarkand Abes. You should know very well, Nedus. Or should I remind you thanks to _whom_ you remained on the bench the entire tournament a few years ago? I still can see that look on your eyes and being a crybaby, holding on your daddy's leg and begging him to tell the coach to get me out of the sphere?" Silver was quite please to see the look of rage on Nedus face. That guy was really a jerk, just like his father had been... not to mention he tried to touch Tallulah once and had gotten a broken nose for that.

"Better choose better who you piss off next time, Nedus. Call me when you can make a descent pass using a blitzball like mine and not breaking your pretty manicure" Silver mocked and swirled his blitzball on his index finger just to tease Nedus, walking back to the locker room holding on to Serenity's waist softly and lovingly.

_That was good payback, Tiger... __  
__That goes for all he put me through while I was with the Goers. And for touching all of Tallulah's private areas... __  
__He has to consider himself lucky you just broke his nose, you could just have teared him to pieces... __  
__A shame I didn't, isn't it?_

Serenity covered her mouth to hide her giggling as they started walking back to the locker rooms. "Silver…" Serenity exclaimed, "That was…amazing." She was impressed. Silver managed to reduce a man to red face and tears without having to hit him. Just what a man like Nedus needed…a hit to his ego. Serenity smiled and kissed Silver on the cheek. "My hero," she said warmly as they climbed down the steps from the stadium and turned the corner to go down the steps into the locker room. "Are the others here, too? We're not playing soon, are we? I don't know what to wear…" Serenity said.

* * *

(Well isn't this awkward?) Lhinx thought. (And here I was worried about wearing only my clothe wrapping and pants. They're gonna think Silver and Kai are some kind of pimps with all of these young girls. I guess that makes me the bouncer.) 

Lhinx almost laughed at the last thought, then remembered Tallulah's chosen water gear.

(I guess Tallulah's not exactly the shyest woman on Spira. I hope they don't disqualify her for indecent exposure.)

Tallulah turned around for Lhinx to check out her outfit. "Does it looks ok, Lhinx? Don't tell me I look fat please... I've been trying to tune up a lot just to wear this one" she said, giggling softly. "It's perfect for blitz, it is well tied and won't get on my way during the game."

* * *

Silver smiled and blushed a little, then kissed Serenity's cheek. "Yup, well all save for your brother. I bet he found a cute blonde girl or something, but he shall be alright. After all, he is your brother." As they got closer to the he sniffed the air and paralyzed. Tallulah's lotion... that one she only wore when she was wearing the... 

_Oh, on Spira's name! __  
__She's wearing the bikini, isn't she? __  
__My nose says so... __  
__Well, better not look that interested, Serenity might get mad... __  
__Ok, you help me control my hormones and I help you not to get slap by her..._

"There must be something you can wear, we can find a wetsuit for you, or a swimsuit or whatever." Silver's free hand began shaking a little. Last time he saw Tallulah wearing that bikini... one thing led to another... and well he didn't want to think about it. If he didn't control himself who would?

"I'll go search for my cousin when everything's all settled. Oh how I wish we could either play against the Fangs... those guys sure are powerful... or against the Goers and kick Nedus ass just to keep on with the tradition."

_That's it, just relax, Tiger..._

* * *

"Not fat, underwear less revealing then that." Lhinx said plainly. "Good for distracting other team during game." 

(I see Silver's familiar with it.) Lhinx thought.

* * *

Serenity laughed and shook her head. "What am I going to do with him. That Kai…" Serenity smiled, knowing he would be all right, but hoped he wasn't off with some girl, ditching all of them just for some cute girl. "Maybe I'll ask the other girls if they found anything to wear. Perhaps I can get one from wherever they managed to get one." Serenity reached to hold onto Silver's free hand, and felt it was shaking. 

"Silver, are you okay? You're still not mad about that Nedus guy, are you? We'll ask the others who they wish to play…the Fangs or the Goers. Either way I think it'll help you let off whatever steam you still have pent up, right?"

As they turned to corner to the hallway the others were standing in, Serenity smiled as she caught sight of Lucine. "Hey guys! Sorry we're la—" Serenity stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes went over Zephyr, Lhinx and then—

"_Tallulah!_" Serenity exclaimed sharply, turning red from embarrassment for the both of them, for Tallulah didn't seem to have a problem with what she was wearing at all. Serenity quickly covered her mouth before she said anything else that she might regret, and closed her eyes tightly, hoping that Tallulah wasn't wearing what she just saw her wearing.

Lhinx gritted her teeth and her ears bent backwards. (That was loud.)

"Lhinx go to change." Lhinx said as she went into a vacant locker room. (This is gonna get messy.)

"Wow, I know I'm hot but I didn't know I was so much to get even a woman speechless," Tallulah said, almost laughing at Serenity. She noticed Silver was speechless as well, and even when he was holding Serenity, she felt good. "I know a good place to get more of this, I bet Silver wouldn't mind you wearing one like mine, Serenity."

Tallulah enjoyed to tease them. She wanted Silver, well Tallulah would make sure to give her hell for that. Serenity was just so innocent, she was sure she would never be able to please Silver as much as she did when they both were together. Not if she still had a white mind.

"Or would you, Silver? You never complained when I put this on."

"Ta-Tallulah!" Silver blushed to the extreme, getting really nervous. "That... no! You can't wear that inside the Sphere... what if..."

_Do not think of her naked, do not think of her naked, do not think of her naked!_

"Tallulah, my cousin can get you all wetsuits... no need to wear that... thing... this is not Gagazet hot springs!" the last part sounded like if he tried to joke and relax everyone, though he was shaking, not letting go of Serenity.

Serenity shook her head, still covering her mouth and eyes still closed. It felt like Tallulah was teasing them…and she didn't like it. She hung her head down and slowly opened her eyes, removing her hand from her mouth. "…N-no, thank you," Serenity said to Tallulah's comment about her wearing something like that. Serenity then raised her head and pulled away from Silver, turning to look at him to search for his impression on Tallulah's clothing—or lack thereof, as he spoke.

"She shouldn't even wear that in the Gagazet hot springs!" Serenity cried, not finding the comment funny. "No offence," She added to Tallulah, though not turning around to face her. Mt. Gagazet was sacred ground, after all, even the hot springs.

"I... I... go find my cousin and get you some proper blitzball clothing," he felt as Serenity pulled away from him and blinked, confused but still blushing. "I... I'll be right back..." Silver took off running the opposite direction, trying to get himself back to reality. That was until a steel pipe appeared on his way, just over the corned. His face slam against it, and he fell back.

"Poor Fang can't even duck a pipe?" a mocking voice said and Nedus just after it, the pipe on his hand "You paying big time for making fun of me!" The Goer tried to hit him with the pipe but Silver caught it, squeezing tight. He pulled it along with Nedus and kicked his stomach, sending him flying meters away.

"You crazy! I'm double your size and many times your strength!" Silver yelled, jumping on his feet but still a little dizzy. "You bastard, surprising people that way?" He smiled as he saw Nedus's fear expression and showed him his fangs, and for first time in years, he roared just like a real tiger. Nedus crawled up and ran away. "Loser..."

* * *

Serenity watched as Silver left and she shook her head when she lost sight of him. Rubbing her temples, Serenity slowly turned around, and stopped when she caught sight of Tallulah there, temporarily forgetting she was there and the cause of what just happened. Serenity rubbed her temples harder and walked past her into the locker room where all the bags were put into. 

Lucine stepped back a bit, not wanting to get in the middle of this catfight. Tallulah might be a bitch, but she's good at it. Lucine had to give her credit for that. And that bikini! It was even more revealing than hers, and Tallulah was much more endowed than she was! But now that Serenity was gone, she had a chance to speak with Tallulah.

"You know, that wasn't very nice..." She trailed off, afraid to tell her what she really felt. She was a valuable member of the team and they needed all the help they could get. "But, let's forget about it for now and have some fun playing blitzball, okay?"

Tallulah shivered as she heard something in the distance. A sound the last time she heard was an extremely frightening experience. It was Silver, she new it, only he could roar like that, not even a tiger was so frightening. "Silver's in trouble!" she shouted, starting to run towards where the sound came, silently praying he didn't went crazy like last time. She completely forgotten that Lucine had spoke to her.

* * *

Watching the events as they transgressed, Zephyr wondered, bleakly, if it was better to be accepted or rejected by this particular group. It wasn't the group, really, so much as. . . Tallulah and Silver. Causing rifts, causing trouble. And exposing unnecessary amounts of flesh. However attractive Tallulah was, she simply couldn't believe that anyone could stand to wear a thong. Ever. Eeeyuck. 

Zephyr proceeded to step into the corner, behind the row of lockers, and opened one locker door so as to make a kind of changing room. "No peeking," she said, loudly. Rustles and 'ziiiip' noises emitted from the half-Guado's corner as she changed into the wetsuit.

* * *

Lhinx, now in the locker room, had chosen to take off her vest and shirt, leaving only the clothe wrapping around her bust and her pants. She had resolved to keep her shin guards, but the gauntlet and armlet would have to go. As she took each off, the gauntlet dropped from her hand, making a noticeably loud thud sound against the concrete floor. 

(Oops...) Lhinx thought, picking up the gauntlet and placing it within the locker atop her shirt along with her armlet.

The Ronso took her shoulder guard in her hand and looked at it thoughtfully.

(It might be more of a hindrance rather then defense under water. If I'm gonna be the goalie, I have to be able to move my arms around as much as I can. This thing'll weigh a ton in the Sphere anyway.)

She placed the shoulder guard on the rest of the armor. Upon recollection of the encounter in the hallway, the Ronso youth took back her vest and put it back on.

* * *

Serenity had sat down on the very edge of a bench, rocking forwards and back slightly as she clasped her hands together in front of her. Did she take things too hard? Why was Tallulah dressed like that? To get Silver back? Did it work? She broke up with him. Why would she try and get him back? Serenity shook her head then held onto it with her hands. 

"Silver's in trouble!" Tallulah shouted, and Serenity bolted up. "Trouble?" Serenity repeated, then ran out of the locker room and after Tallulah. She may have felt hurt that Silver openly gazed at Tallulah while she was right there in front of him, but she loved him, and that's all that mattered. They could always talk about it later, anyway.

The Ronso youth's ear twitched toward the door as she heard the tiger demon's roar. (Ooh, Silver must be **real** mad.) Lhinx thought, feeling an almost primal impressed feeling. Her ear followed Serenity out the door and folded back to its original position as the human's steps faded. The Ronso youth yawned, her animal teeth showing briefly, stretching her arms wide and cracking her neck once. Her tail swished around out of eagerness for the approaching game.

(I guess playing the Fangs wouldn't be too bad of an ordeal. Any team would do though I suppose.)

* * *

Silver heard Tallulah calling his name on the distance and turned around, walking calmly towards where the women waited. After scaring Nedus to death, he felt a lot better, and knew he would have no problem in seeing Tallulah in that small bikini again. Although... he still blushed a little, and hope with all his strength, that Serenity wouldn't be mad at him for that. 

Serenity slowed to a stop as Silver made his way back over to them, and rather calmly as well. Ignoring the voice at the back of her head that said he was just happy to see Tallulah in her skimpy bikini rather then her herself, Serenity looked at Silver worriedly. "Are you okay? Tallulah said that you were in trouble or something."

"Hey, what's gotten into you two? Of course I'm ok." At the same time he said this, a thin line of blood rolled down his forehead. "Well... I had a round with Nedus, he tried to hit me with a steel pipe and I scared the shit out of him with my fangs and a well placed roar." Silver laughed and then repeated the roar for the girls, but not so filled with rage as the one he made for poor Nedus.

* * *

The Ronso was through with changing and resigned herself to peak her head out the door and look around. Upon looking to the locker rooms exit her eye caught sight of a few very familiar looking men. (Weren't they on the Zanarkand ferry with me? I better not let them see me.) The Ronso drew her head back in and walked toward the bench Serenity had been on. She sat down carefully, leaned back against the wall, crossed her arms and closed her eyes in a relaxed manner.

* * *

Zephyr rolled her eyes as the second roar echoed through the locker rooms. Silver causing trouble, as always. 

She stepped out of her corner, geared up in an iron gray and olive green wetsuit emblazoned with the logo of the Guado Glories. Her clothing lay in a disorganized heap behind the lockers, with her belt, gun and glasses atop the pile. Cobalt-tinted goggles - presumably something she herself had dreamed up - were perched on her forehead, and her hair was down. She knew it would get in her way in the sphere if it remained that way, so she tapped Lhinx on the shoulder.

"Hey, Lhinx - would you mind braiding my hair?" she asked, with an oddly warm smile. Teammates - that was something the halfling hadn't had in years.

Zephyr looked up at her reflection in a floor-to-ceiling glass window, not intended as a mirror but serving as one nonetheless, and grinned broadly. Staying in shape was definitely worth it, just for the massive nosebleeds that men around her got when she wore something like this.

And for the explosions, and the blood, and. . . well. That was all besides the point. Right now, she was playing blitzball, not a game of life-or-death. In her eyes, this was a shame, because she always got such an adrenaline rush when she narrowly avoided death. Unfortunately, the population of modern-day Spira wasn't much into blood sports.

* * *

Serenity covered her ears as Silver repeated the roar. It was quite fearful, and probably not even as bad as the one he had done to Nedus, and understood how scared Nedus was. She smiled slightly as she lowered her hands, and found it hard to believe he was okay when some blood rolled down his face. "Well…I'm glad you're okay," Serenity said, nodded, then clasped her hands nervously. She didn't feel right standing there with beside Tallulah and Silver, and looking back at Lucine, the others off to change, Serenity felt embarrassed for the way she acted earlier. 

Looking around for some excuse to leave, Serenity noticed Silver had returned without any extra wetsuits, probably sidetracked from Nedus. She didn't really feel like playing, especially now after what happened, but… "Um, I think I'm going to head over to the locker rooms on the other side of the stadium…you know, I may have luck finding some…wetsuits there…" Serenity rubbed her forehead. _I can use the fresh air, too…_ Without waiting for any response, Serenity made her way down the hallway and up the stairs to the outside.

* * *

Lhinx nodded to Zephyr. "Sorry if pull hair too hard." Lhinx warned her considerably smaller friend. The Ronso youth tried to be as delicate as she could while braiding Zephyr's hair, noting to herself that a little pain probably wouldn't bother her too much. 

The sight would be rather odd to any passerby that knew the history of the two races, Guado and Ronso. Lhinx thought back to her conversation with the Ronso Fangs as she finished braiding Zephyr's hair.

("Better hope Biran not find out." What do I care what Biran thinks? I can be friends with who I want and go where I want.) Lhinx thought with a little anger. (It's like they don't even trust my judgment. I may be Garik's daughter, but it doesn't mean I'm gonna hate the Guado as Papa does.)

"I can take it," the halfling said regarding her hair as she sat down next to the Ronso. "Just make sure it won't come loose in the sphere." Lhinx was being remarkably gentle; a pleasant surprise to Zephyr, who had foreseen quite a lot of pain involved with the braiding of her hair. Her mother had always attempted to braid her hair in the traditional Guado way, which in addition to being completely without style was incredibly painful. Zephyr's hair lacked the coarseness of ordinary Guado hair, though, and just slipped out of braids unless they were tied tightly. She'd always had a footnote on the edge of her vision of her human father: has greasy but well-behaved hair. It was the only explanation.

Near the docks

"You're sure it's the same Ronso?" A bald man with a healing black eye asked a slim fishermen looking man who favored his right leg over his left.

"Yeah. Same clothes and everything." The fishermen replied with a bit of resentment. "She went with a few others towards the locker rooms. I think she plans on playing blitzball."

"Brilliant. She'll be exhausted after the game. That's when we get her. I owe her for this." The bald man pointed to his black eye.

"Not before I break both her legs. I might as well give her some interest for sprainin' m'ankle." the fishermen replied.

A man wearing clothing bearing the symbol of New Yevon watched the two from a respectful distance.

* * *

Lucine was debating whether or not she should go help Silver too, but decided that Serenity and Tallulah could handle it. So she wandered around the hall until she saw Lhinx sitting on one of the locker room benches. "Hey Lhinx, hey Zephyr." She said, without her usual enthusiasm. The whole Serenity, Silver, Tallulah triangle was wearing her out. She walked to the bench and sat down. Since she still didn't have a wet suit, there was nothing for her to do but wait. 

Zephyr raised an eyebrow at Lucine as she walked past, but then realized that she was being plagued by the same thing that was plaguing them all. "The lovebirds getting you down?" she asked with a smirk.

Lucine looked over at Zephyr who was having her hair braided by Lhinx. It was a bit surprising, but it looked like they were both enjoying it. "Yeah. It's the whole Serenity, Silver, Tallulah thing..."She said with a small sigh. "I mean, Tallulah left Silver in the first place, so why is she coming back now? Can't she just find another guy and move on?" It was all very complicated to Lucine, who had never been in this sort of situation. In love, yes, but not like this.

Lhinx tied a bit of string around the end of the braid to keep it secure and allowed it to fall back against Zephyr. "Love triangle better not get in way of mission. Three do not need distraction, otherwise get careless and in more danger." Lhinx said with a serious tone. "Warrior not fight at best when in love. Too blind by own heart to use brain."

"Hmm...I guess you're right..." Lucine said, leaning back against the lockers, thinking. If you were in love with someone, you'd do things for them that you wouldn't usually do for anybody else. "But, isn't it like that with friends?" Lucine said, arguing the point. "If you love you're friends, then you'll do anything for them?" She was sure this was right, at least to her. She loved everybody in the group, even though they had only been together a short while. Even if they bugged her sometimes, like Tallulah and her love triangle, she loved them all.

"Lucine have good point." Lhinx said, her composure showing she had been taken aback. "Lhinx not think about love of friends. That make warrior stronger in fight." (As long as their head is on straight anyways. Speaking of which...)

"Why it taking Silver, Serenity and Tallulah so long?" Lhinx wondered.

"I think, while love of any kind makes a warrior fight harder, it also makes them lose sight of self-preservation," Zephyr said carefully. "Suddenly, the welfare of another is factored into a situation. It's a complicated addition, and a distracting one." She smiled and lowered her blue-tinted goggles over her stormy ocean-gray eyes, looking very much like a blitz player all of a sudden.

"I've been a solo player all of my life, and the few times when I've had to protect someone else. . . it's been pretty hard to change my mindset. At the same time, though," she added solemnly, standing up and smoothing back her bangs with a gloved hand (fingers cut out to allow for the silvery claws in residence on her hands in the place of ordinary fingernails), "I'm glad to have someone to protect."

Lucine sat back and watched as Zephyr got up. And what she said was true. "So I guess...love and friendship can be both a curse and a blessing." She said, smiling. "But I think in most cases, its more of a blessing." She nodding slightly. Then she got up and walked over to Zephyr, putting an arm around her shoulders, having to stand on her tippy-toes. "I'm glad that we all became friends...even with all of out differences, we seem to fit pretty well together, don't we?"

"Hey now," she said, shrinking a bit so Lucine could reach her more easily. "We're a really weird group, but we work well together. . . more or less." The halfling grinned and scooped the lightweight Lucine into her arms.

* * *

Kai awoke on the boat and gets dressed. "Hum…" He walked out of his room and up to the deck seeing that all of them had already gone to shore. "How long did I sleep? Well, we are in Luca now…so off to my favorite place on Luca!" With that, Kai heads toward the Blitzball stadium.

* * *

Serenity sat plopped down in the other corridor beside the stadium, looking through the lockers for extra wetsuits. She had a big pile beside her of ones that weren't going to work for they were for males, and was beginning to give up when she took a look at the last one at the bottom. It was red and black, and upon checking it, she couldn't find any team logo on it. _Must've belonged to one of those free agents…_ She stood up slowly and held it out in front of her to look at it more closely. Deeming it suitable, Serenity bent down to retrieve its metallic red goggles and made her way back to the other side. 

Passing by Silver and Tallulah, Serenity entered the room Zephyr, Lhinx and Lucine were in and dropped down on the bench where Lucine had been, handing the wetsuit over to her. Serenity gave a curious glance at the three, wondering what she missed, but shook her head. "Here, Lucine, I found a wetsuit for you. I think I'm really going to sit this game out. Kai will be here any moment, so you'll still have the required six players. I'm just…not up to it right now."

Zephyr smirked, and turned to Serenity. "And don't worry. . . I'm sure a certain thong-wearing blitzer will be exhausted by the second half. However trim and fit that girl is, she just isn't built for blitzball, if you know what I mean." The halfling wasn't entirely certain how Tallulah could even stand up straight, with all of that weight making her top-heavy. It must have been murder on her spine.

Silver's ears twitched as he heard Zephyr's joke about Tallulah, even when he was still outside of the room. He looked at Tallulah then, and had to suppress a laugh as he found out what she was talking about.

_Yeah, it's like you didn't know? __  
__Well... she was younger then... __  
__For first time you got it right..._

"Come on, Tallu, let's go inside," he said, still blushing a little but wanting to relax a little. Silver knocked the door before going inside, as in a warning for any girl that could be naked inside the lockers.

His head took a look inside of the room and he relaxed, walking inside. "I'll find my cousin. And I need _you_ to come with me." Silver looked at Serenity and smiled. "I'm not letting you sit this one out, you're playing even if I have to warm the bench. My cousin will get a good wetsuit for you..." he then turned at Tallulah "... And you are coming along, for you are not wearing... that inside the Sphere, specially if our rivals are the Luca Goers. I really don't feel like biting Nedus's hands off, he stinks and his flesh won't be any better than a fiend's."

Zephyr lay down on an empty bench, one leg hanging off of the metal plank and the other bent at the knee. "Hurry up," she commanded with a grin, swinging her free foot lazily. "I think we're all getting kind of tired of waiting, o ye who has connections."

* * *

Lucine giggled under Zephyr's arms. What she said about Tallulah was true, and she couldn't imagine having all that extra...weight on her chest. Sure, it might get her more guys, but she was happy the way she was. It made her faster and more agile, which came in handy during sports, and even when fighting. Then she turned toward Serenity and smiled. "Oh! Thank you so much Serenity!" She ran over and took the wetsuit. "This looks like it'd fit me perfectly! Ooo...and it's black and red. Very spiffy!" She gave Serenity a small hug, then tried on the goggles. "So, how do I look?"

* * *

"Me? Hey wait, I want to wear this one. I can move a lot better with this than with any wetsuit you give me, because with my bikini I have most of my body free to move." Tallulah was serious about it. She wasn't going to change clothing only because her companions were all crazy about how revealing it was. "And do not worry about Nedus, if he tries that ever again I'll slap him so hard he will fly out of the Sphere." 

"I consider myself both young and pretty, so if I have nothing to hide why not show what I've got? I really worked hard to have this body, and you know it because I was a little fat when we first met, Silver."

Lucine stopped laughing and looked over at Tallulah. She carefully pulled her goggles up so they rested on her head. She could understand part of what Tallulah had to say. It's good that she's proud of her body, but still...the bathing suit didn't have to be _that_ revealing. But she wasn't going to say anything at the risk of being snapped at.

"Err... Tallulah, we were but kids back then, no one of that age cares about their looks. And I know you've worked hard... I still got the scars of your exercises... and three times the muscles I used to have because I had to follow you around. But still the Sphere has a special meaning, and it really isn't a place to wear a... thong." Silver couldn't find the exact words, and he tried to be careful of what he said for he had both Serenity and Tallulah next to him..., which was terrifying.

* * *

As Kai reached the Blitzball stadium, he asked a near by person if they had seen his sister. He was told that Serenity and the others went into one of the locker rooms. "Hum, I guess Silver talked them into a game of blitzball." With that, Kai headed to the locker rooms and luckily finding the right one. He knocked to see if it is ok to go in just on case one of the girls was in the middle of changing. "Hey there, guys. It's Kai. Is it ok to come in?" 

Silver was relieved as Kai entered the room, for having Tallulah in such a skimpy thing had already made his heart pound like crazy. He smiled and sniffed the air around Kai like playing a joke. "No scent to any women besides our lovely ladies here, so then I think I was wrong after all. You weren't with any blonde hottie... were you?"

Kai looked to Silver. "Well, I haven't been, unless one crawled into my bed while I slept and left before I awoke." Kai said laughing while rubbing his head trying to wake up. "Well I see you talked this group into playing a game of Blitzball." He then sees what Tallulah was wearing. _I hope she isn't planning on wearing that during the game or the spectators will watch her over the game._ "So who are we playing against, Silver, do you know?"

Lucine gave small sigh, also relieved that Kai had come in. She could feel the tension in the air, but hopefully everything that had just happened would be pushed aside for now. "A blonde hottie, eh?" She said, giving a wide smile. "So that's why you were so late..." she said, playfully elbowing him in the side.

"We were on the way to meet my cousin, he will get us a good team to play against. I'd like it to be either the Ronso Fangs or the Luca Goers... personal reasons for both. But any does just fine because we are going to win, aren't we?" Silver laughed and smiled at Kai "You wearing that for the match or want to come along with your sister, Tallulah and me. I'm getting this girls _proper_ clothing for the Sphere." The remark on the word 'proper' was specially for certain semi-naked blitz player.

The Ronso resigned herself to listening to the conversation of the others. Tallulah was being rather difficult in Lhinx's opinion, but then again the Ronso tribe depended on being able to move around easily, what with their style of armor and all.

Lhinx noted a change in the air content that entered the locker room vents.

(Chlorine. A team who just played must be near here, taking a shower to wash the chlorine out I bet.) Lhinx thought. (That reminds me. I better remember to rinse my hair out after the game. Last thing I need is my mane to turn green.)

The Ronso imagined how it would look for her hair to be a light tint of green along with her bluish gray fur, gaining a dismayed look on her face as she looked at her ivory white hair.


	30. The Silent Strike on Luca Stadium

**The Silent Strike on Luca Stadium**

Serenity laughed a bit exasperatedly, rubbing the side of her head. She felt like she was going to explode and go mental with everything that was going on at once. She didn't even laugh about Zephyr's comment about Tallulah, though she really wanted to. "Really, guys, Spira is not going to come to an end if I don't play blitzball. I'm really feeling…" Serenity trailed off, glancing at Tallulah before turning her head away and rolling her eyes, "…Sick."

Serenity began taking deep breaths. She felt trapped there in that room. It was nauseating listening to Tallulah and Silver talk to each other, especially when Silver still sounded so flustered over Tallulah's outfit. She was sitting right there in front of them, for Yevon's sake. She had to get out of there before she suffocated. And maybe her leaving would cut the tension out a bit. Jumping up suddenly, Serenity cleared her throat. "Actually, I'll see you guys out there, okay? Wave to me in the stands!" Serenity said a little too cheerfully and quickly made her way out of the room.

Lhinx followed Serenity out quickly. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder to get her attention. "This what Tallulah want. If need air, breathe now, but if one of team injured, need you to take place." Lhinx said calmly.

"Hey, Serenity!" Silver called. _Not again... why do I always end up making her run away?_

Silver ran after her, but waited until they both were a little farther away from the locker room to speak. "What's up, sweetheart?" he asked, feeling his human side rise atop and facing her, his hands carefully placed on her shoulders. "Hey, you don't have to play if you don't want to, but then again I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. I think we'd need to talk about it..." Silver placed a quick kiss on her lips and smiled, taking her hand and placing it on his chest, just over his heart "... Feel this? It beats for you, and it belongs to you. Maybe it isn't a human heart... and its colour is actually gray-black instead of red... but it's all yours."

He then turned at the Ronso girl who was with them. "She's right, we need you."

Serenity looked from Lhinx to Silver and smiled sadly. Brushing her free hand through her hair nervously, Serenity knew Lhinx was right. This is what Tallulah wanted. But she didn't know what else to do. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. "If…and only if, someone gets injured or something, I shall take the person's place. I just…I can't do this. It's too much, you know? And it may be what Tallulah wants, but…I can't do anything else. This is taking a strain on everyone in the group, not just me, and I think that this would really help."

Serenity opened her eyes and looked at Silver. It was comforting and reassuring to know that he was hers no matter what Tallulah tried to do, and she hugged Silver tightly. "Yes, well, tell that to her." Stepping back, Serenity wiped her eyes from invisible tears. "And I think we'd need to talk about it, too, but now is neither the time nor the place." She held onto both his hands. "I'll…be okay. I'll see you guys out there, okay? Good luck."

She patted him lightly on the shoulder and continued on her way.

* * *

Lhinx stepped back from the two and reentered the locker room. The chlorine smell still drifted in the room. (Why hasn't it permeated into the air yet? It's way too strong now to be from a blitz game.) The Ronso walked over to stand directly beneath the air vent. She looked closely, noting an odd green shade to the air coming out. 

"Should all leave room. Smell bad here." Lhinx said, eyeing the ventilation ducts.

(Whatever is going on, it's not strong enough to be sensed without a good nose.) Lhinx thought.

* * *

The room was eerily quite now that Silver and Serenity were gone. But it felt that some of the tension had disappeared from the room. And maybe now they could get back on track and play some blitzball. "I'll be right beck guys, I'm going to go change." She said, stepping out of the room. There had to be an empty locker room around here somewhere. 

Lucine looked up and down the hall, and finally found one that was empty. She shut the door and locked it, setting the wetsuit she was carrying on the bench. She quickly undressed, making sure to fold all her clothes neatly. She put on the wet suite and gathered up her clothes, then stepped back out into the hall.

* * *

Silver waved lightly at Serenity and smiled, then followed Lhinx inside the room. "Ok, everyone, I'm going get that ol' jerk and get into the first match we can. Better if you start warming up..." he motioned towards the door but then stopped and grabbed Tallulah's arm, pulling her in a very funny way "... And you come here, no thongs allowed in the Sphere." He laughed softly as he dragged his former girlfriend down the corridor and to an office near the Dome. 

Silver knocked lightly twice and waited, then the door opened and a tall, heavy built guy appeared. His skin was brownish as Silver's, just that he didn't have the black, tiger-like stripes on them. "How's it been, _Dam_?" Silver called his cousin by his old nickname.

"Little Silver? For Spira, you've grown!" Dam said and hugged Silver tightly. Even when he was only a human, he already had half the strength of a Demon, which in human terms was extremely strong.

"Ya, I drink my chocolate every morning" Silver joked, hugging him back. "Hey, pal, I've come to ask a favor... can you put us in a match like soon? My friends and I really want a good match. And can you get me a proper wetsuit for her?" He pushed Tallulah forward.

"This is little Tallulah? You two back after all? I told you, Silver, this woman is a real jewel."

"Um... no, she's only my friend now" Silver said, blushing "My... girlfriend doesn't feel like playing right now... but still, you could lend me a wetsuit just in case. She's just like Tallulah's height... just a little less..." Silver rolled his eyes from behind Tallulah and put his hands over his own chest, hoping he would get the idea.

"Oh... yup, you're in. Report to the Sphere in ten minutes and you'll be playing. I can't tell against whom, it's random... and here..." Dam stretched behind him and took two pink/white wetsuits and handed them to Silver, who immediately noticed the difference on the breasts. "Now, go, you don't have much time and we don't want to keep them waiting. We'll talk later, little Silver." Dam pat Silver's back hard and went inside his office, closing the door after him.

* * *

Zephyr rolled her eyes, although the gesture was invisible behind her cobalt goggles. The damn things were a little disconcerting, because you could never tell if she was looking at you, away from you, or through you. At that moment, the halfling appeared to be staring at the ceiling. Lhinx's warning snapped her out of it, and she raised an eyebrow. 

"I smell it too," she said, sitting up. "Chlorine. . ." One of the alchemist's survival traits was a nose for toxic chemicals. All chemists had this, because if one was a chemist without it, one was very shortly dead. Natural selection. "If we get into the sphere and there're those kinds of concentrations, we'll literally burn up," she continued as she got to her feet. "At least," she muttered under her breath, "those of us who leave unnecessary skin exposed will."

With this remark, the half-Guado gathered her clothes and brought them into the hallway (wouldn't want to be asphyxiated while retrieving her jeans after the game). She sniffed again, and called back, "hurry up, and shut the door behind you. Something weird's going on here." She watched as the Glories literally ran out of their own room, coughing and wheezing. Guado were more sensitive to environmental change than humans were, almost like bipedal frogs were.

Maelstra was the last person out of their room, and she slammed the door shut behind her. When she saw Zephyr, she ran towards her. "What is this stuff, Raphie?" she asked, breathless.

"Oh, suddenly I'm worth speaking to again," she said bitterly. "Only when you want something from me, though."

"I'm serious. My lungs just locked up for no reason. A little worrying."

"Uh huh," Zephyr said, as if annoyed at Maelstra's frailness. "Chlorine is poisonous in its gaseous form. Usually you just smell the fumes of the liquid or the dissolved solid, not the actual gas. Someone's pumping it into the rooms." The tone of her voice made it clear that this could be no accident, in her opinion.

"Well, we have to evacuate!" Maelstra cried. Zephyr gave her a meaningful look, and the Guado goalie sighed. "Right. Little Raphie has to be the big shot and find out who's doing it."

"Damn straight," the halfling said, allowing herself a smirk. She removed her belt from the pile of clothes in the hall and strapped it on, gun and all. Zephyr then pulled on her vest full of supplies. She cut an impressive figure in her wetsuit and battle gear, even though it was a complete accident. "Hold this?" she asked, and shoved her clothes into Maelstra's hands before she could reply.

"Yeah, yeah," Maelstra said, trying and failing to keep a stoic expression in the face of Zephyr's wild smile. "See you outside, hero girl."

"Hardly," she muttered, turning around and shouldering her gun. Raphaela Guado addressed her comrades. "Get outta there, guys. I do believe we, as the resident team of badasses, need to get to the bottom of this. And someone get Serenity," she added as an afterthought. Damn troublesome love triangle. It just couldn't end well.

As Lucine stepped out into the hall, she saw Zephyr running out of the room, yelling something about chlorine. Lucine ran over to her to see what was wrong. "Hey, what's going on, Zephyr?"

"Lhinx and I both smell chlorine gas in the air," she said bluntly. "That means, like, suffocation. Dying. Not good." She was speaking unusually quickly. "The game's probably gonna be starting soon, but a couple of people who aren't playing have to look for the source of the chlorine. . ." Zephyr smiled halfheartedly and spread her arms, emphasizing the presence of her belt and vest. "Looks like I'm one of them, and you guys are out a center. I think the people in the sphere will be okay so long as Silver or Lhinx is in there to warn them if the smell gets too strong. I think. . ." She paused for a moment, taking a breath. Chlorine. She could almost taste it now. "We can't spare someone to go with me, can we?" she said, voice growing softer, tone uneasy as she did the math.

* * *

Kai walked out into the hall and began stretching and throwing a few kicks. "I can't wait to play it has been so long since I played." Kai said to himself as he warms up. It also helped to calm him, since he couldn't find a way to relieve whatever tension was going on between his sister and Silver. The prospect of a game, however, only reminded him of his missing parents.

* * *

Serenity leaned over the balcony where she was sitting. The sphere was filled and ready to go. She was scanning the area for the team that they were going to face, but didn't see any sign as of yet. "Well I suppose I wouldn't…they don't usually come out till they have to swim to the center and shake hands…" Serenity said to herself, and sighed as she plopped back down in her seat, deciding to watch as the stadium began to fill up once again with some spectators.

* * *

Calix walked though the now almost completely empty halls looking for his former teammates who he hadn't seen since the forest in Besaid. He hopped he would be able to find them and join them in the game. Blitz was his thing, he had learned a few extraordinary skills from his defective father. 

As he strolled along Calix heard a familiar voice, not one he liked very much, because she ditched him, but nonetheless it was on he knew. As Claix bolted off down the hall in the direction of the voice he called out "Zeph!" with a rather excited voice.

* * *

Lhinx nodded to Zephyr. "Whoever doing this wants team in poor health." Lhinx said. "Check other locker room, people need be evacuated." Lhinx took out her own weapon and proceeded to other locker rooms. She forced the first door open and looked around within, seeing no one, and then sniffing the air. She pulled her head back quickly, snorting the putrid gas out of her large cat/dog like nose. 

(Our locker room is one of the furthest away from the main pipe. Whoever did this wasn't certain where we would be.) The Ronso went to another locker room, holding her nose as she opened the door.

(But, this would take a little while to plan. Whoever did this knew we were going to play blitzball from earlier on today. It had to be someone from the ferry.) Lhinx thought as she looked around the room for anyone. (But who says they were after us directly?)

The Ronso's ears picked up a faint clanging sound after she shut the door of the previous locker room. She turned and looked up at the ceiling. (I can't assume this was aimed directly at us. The Guado Glories were in a locker room the same time we were. They could be targets just as easily as...oh no.)

Lhinx rushed to the final locker room on the wall and tried to open the door. (It's locked!) Lhinx rammed her shoulder against the door and managed to open it after the second attempt. She then proceeded to jump out of the way as 6 heaving Ronso ran out of the room, covering their noses.

Lhinx shut the door and went to the coughing Olea. Her coughing and wheezing were attempts to gain in as much air as possible. After minutes of the routine, her breathing began to sound a little less scary. Zeik snorted the chlorine smell out of his nose, breathing in air through his large fearsome mouth.

"One minute we just talking, next barely able to breathe." Olea said to Lhinx. "We try get out, but door not let us out. Too weak from smell to force open."

Lhinx bore her teeth, her eyes growing small with anger. (How dare they do this to my brothers and sisters!) Lhinx thought in anger.

"Relax. We okay." Brun said to Lhinx. "But not know how this happen."

"I tell you how happened. Stinking Guado did this!" Toru said angrily.

"The Guado victims as well, Toru. Not them." Lhinx said.

(But then again, it was awfully convenient that both races were in the locker rooms at the same time...) Lhinx thought.

"Ah, hi, Calix," Zephyr said, mildly surprised that he was alive. "Now is not the best time. We have a gas problem. Chlorine. Someone's pumping it into the locker rooms. Anyway, yeah. . . it's bad." With this curt greeting, she turned away from him and ran up behind Lhinx, tapping her on the shoulder.

"I think the Goers are the only ones left. I don't know if they're in their room or not." She pretended she didn't hear the dirty Guado remark. Quite frankly, she agreed. Guado were reprehensible beings, just like humans, Ronso and demons. The point of life was searching out the good ones.

She ran off to the other hallway of locker rooms. The hall itself was already scented with gas. She pulled a textured cloth out of her vest and breathed through it. It didn't help much. Gods, whoever did this really overdid it. Chlorine poisoning was supposed to be stealthy, almost artistic. Not that she would know or anything. Heh.

None of the doors in the hall were locked, and none of the teams were in the rooms - which begged the question, where exactly had the Goers run off to?

Lhinx watched Zephyr go, hoping the alchemist didn't get herself hurt. (Ah, she can take care of herself.) Lhinx thought. (But that still begs the questions, who's pumping the gas in?)

"Run to outside." Lhinx said to the Ronso fangs. "Gas getting worse." The 6 Ronso nodded and ran off.

(There's no way either the Ronso or the Guado could've done this. The Guado may not like the Ronso much, but it doesn't mean they're gonna risk causing another disaster in Luca like Lord Seymour did with the fiend invasion. And the Ronso wouldn't be able to stand being near such a large amount of chlorine long enough to dump it into the vents. Wait.)

Her mind went back to the clanging sound she heard earlier.

"..." Calix started top reply to the short greeting with Zypher, but was cut short as she dashed off. There was something strange about this chlorine, it bothered him...it reminded him of a song his younger brother always used to listen to... in fact, the song was written by a bunch of people who worked in a chlorine plant. The chorus went along the lines of this "Go boys go, we'll time your every breath, for every day your in this place you're two days near death, But ya GOOOOOOO!"

The connection was oddly eerie, Calix needed to tell some one, so he dashed off after Zypher keeping the chorus in his head, and using his coat to breath through to block the fumes.

* * *

"What the heck is happening!" Silver yelled, handing his scarf to Tallulah as the gas smell got stronger. "Damn it! It... hurts... agh!" He really ached inside, the gas filling his lungs and his extremely sensitive nose about to blow. His vision got blurry and he was weak. As a Demon, his nose was like Aquiles and the back of his foot. The poison gas got to his organism pretty bad... and Silver fell, into a world of total darkness. 

Lucine was looking round, and quite frankly, confused. Lhinx ran off in one direction to help her Ronso friends, Zephyr ran off in the other to find out where the chlorine is coming from, and if that wasn't enough, Calix had come back! But down the hall he could see Silver falling as Tallulah was watching over him. "Aw man, this isn't good! This REALLY isn't good!" She ran over to Silver, trying to help him up, but he was so big! "Tallulah, can you help me get Silver up? We don't have much time!"

* * *

"Someone help me!" A voice cried out through the ventilation ducts. Lhinx looked up and reached to tear open the duct. 

"Where are you?" Lhinx yelled up into it.

"I'm in the pipes! I can't get out!" The man's voice cried. Lhinx reached her hand into the not open vent.

"See hand?" Lhinx asked.

"Yes, but I can't reach you...please get me out! I'm claustrophobic!" The voice demanded.

(I can't fit in there, I'm too big!) "Do not panic! You breathe in more of gas."

"I have a mask and an oxygen tank." The man called. "I'm just stuck, but I'm running out of Oxygen."

(An oxygen tank...) Lhinx wondered. "How you get in there?" Lhinx demanded.

"I..."

"I get you out. Then you explain." Lhinx said with noted anger. (There's no way I can get in there and move around. I need someone small to boost up and pull him out!) Lhinx thought.

"I need someone's help!" Lhinx said.

* * *

"Lady Serenity!" 

Serenity turned to see who had called her, and stood up and bowed as a small group of Youth League members has approached her on the balcony, looking quite miffed. "What is it?"

"We just saw the Ronso Fangs evacuate from the locker room halls. They had reported the smell of chlorine gas in the ventilation system of Luca stadium."

"We're informing people as we go of the situation and asking them to stay clear of the lower levels. We guessed that the High Summoner's daughter would like to be notified."

"And we are glad for your safety, Lady Serenity." The three of them stood unbelievably straight and saluted.

Serenity nodded to them. Her friends were down there. And, knowing them, were still down there, trying to figure it out. "Yes, thank you." She moved her gaze upward to the sky, using an arm to block the sun's rays.

"Well, there is no need to panic everyone. With the fresh air out here, the civilians here should be fine. I'll go check it out." Serenity stopped herself, finding it quite odd that she actually going to throw herself into this mess that didn't really have anything to do with her parents' disappearance…something her mother and her friends would have done. Looking back at them, they seemed just as surprised, but seemed to take it as if it was Lady Yuna standing before them. They saluted once again and went off.

Serenity made her way back downstairs, and stopped at the base of the stairs. She couldn't just rush in there. Going down the other flight of stairs, Serenity went to the booth that was in front of the stadium. "I need a wet cloth," she told them. They looked at her a bit taken aback, but they got out a cloth and a bottle of water and handed her the now dripping wet cloth.

Climbing the stairs once again, Serenity moved towards the stairs that led down into one of the locker room halls, and put the cloth over her nose and mouth before she headed down inside.

* * *

"We're never going to get out of here with Silver like he is!" Lucine said, close to tears. The others were gone, except for Tallulah, and they had to carry Silver out by themselves. Well, if she couldn't lift him, she'd just have to drag him out. She got a good grip on his hand, then gave a tug. He moved a little bit, and it was better than nothing, but they were still going too slow. 

Lhinx looked over and saw a struggling Lucine and Tallulah over a very unconscious Silver. "Hold on." Lhinx called into the duct. Lhinx ran over to the three.

"I get Silver out, then we get man out of vent duct." Lhinx said. "I too big to crawl in and reach. Give you boost and we pull out." Lhinx propped Silver up and lifted him onto her shoulder. He wasn't the lightest person in the world, but the tiger demon's weight was not a challenge for the Ronso.

Serenity came upon Lucine, Tallulah, Lhinx and unconscious Silver first. He seemed to have blacked out, and they were trying to drag him out. They were going at a pretty slow pace, but Lhinx had lifted him up on her shoulders. "Lhinx! Guys! What's going on?"

"Someone pouring chlorine into ducts." Lhinx said. "Tell me where to take Silver. Lhinx have to come back and save someone else."

"Lhinx! I'm so glad you're here!" She let the young Ronso carry Silver out, trying to help, but there wasn't much she could do. Then she saw Serenity running down the hallway, breathing through a wet cloth. "Serenity! You shouldn't be down here, you could get hurt! But...it looks like Silver's blacked out from the chlorine down here. Once Lhinx gets him out of here, you stay with him, because I have to give her some help."

Lhinx saw a bench near the locker rooms entrance. (It looks far enough away to be clear of the gas.) Lhinx thought. Lhinx ran towards it, trying to be careful with Silver's unconscious body.

"Well I couldn't just leave you guys down here! You guys can get hurt, too." Serenity said, following them as they moved back towards the entrance. There was someone else still stuck down here? She looked around as if she could see the gas. "Who would do something like this? They could kill people!" She looked at Silver, and hoped he was still alive.

Silver's eyes moved a little, still closed. His breathing had gotten heavy and difficult, but he was returning to real world. He felt all his body numb and weak, and he couldn't even open his eyes.

_Dammit! What the Hell is happening to my body!  
Can't you tell? Your nose is your weak point, remember? You get poison gas and you are history!  
Then... am I going to die?  
Depends on what you want... I can just shut down your body and let you die peacefully, or you can try and keep on fighting...  
What for?  
Serenity... that's the one you love the most, isn't she?  
Yes... I'll go on... for her..._

Silver's body shoot violently and he opened his eyes, gasping for clean air and moaning in pain as the gas burned his lungs. "Damn!" he managed to yell... and his thoughts flew towards his precious blitzball.

_I'll get it back as soon as this is over... and I will tear into pieces the one who did this!_

Tallulah was paralyzed. She held on the scarf tightly, and saw Silver's blitzball on the ground. With lots of effort she lifted it and followed Lhinx and the others to safety. Tallulah remained by Silver's side, worried to death about her loved one. "Don't you die on me!" she whispered, and then looked at Serenity, very worried. She had no power over Demons, for they were unique creatures and their organism was the same but at the same time entirely different from any other creature in Spira.

Lhinx almost dropped Silver when his body quaked. (He's alive. Thank goodness.) Lhinx thought. They neared the bench. Lhinx slowed down a bit and lowered Silver to the bench.

(There's one more...but can we get him out.) Lhinx wondered.

The Ronso looked to Lucine. "Man in duct claustrophobic. We need hurry." Lhinx said, and began to run, but fell to one knee. She swore under her breath.

(I must've breathed in too much of the gas. But there's no time...) The Ronso rose again, feeling a bit light headed now.

"Wait" Tallulah said, concerned about Lhinx "I'll go too, I can heal the poison out of us." She handed the Ronso Silver's scarf, for her nose wasn't as sensitive as Ronso's. Tallulah left the blitzball next to Silver and followed Lhinx, silently cursing whoever did this.

Lhinx tied the scarf around her face and proceeded towards the locker room hall. She stopped at the open duct and looked up. She then looked to Lucine and Tallulah. "Man is stuck in there." Lhinx said, pointing up, her voice slightly muffled by the scarf. "I give boost and one of you pull him out. Which one?"

* * *

Kai emerged from the lower levels coughing as Lhinx and Tallulah went down. "I am gonna get who ever did this," He said, trying to stay on his feet. There was no way he was going to let someone ruin the thing his father loved most after his family. "Crap, I breathed too much gas." He said falling to his knees he had been down there longer then the others so the gas was affecting him now.

* * *

"I'll do it" Tallulah said, and closing her eyes she repeated three times a very short spell. Suddenly, her staff was teleported to her hands and she readied herself for Lhinx boost. "He can hold on to this if I cannot reach him. Just make sure you don't push me to hard or my thong might fall." Just like Silver had thought her, she needed to keep cool even in extreme situations, and even joke if the time was too tense. 

(Now I really wish she had worn something more...) Lhinx thought as she lifted Tallulah up to the duct, hoping her own black claws wouldn't hurt Tallulah.

Tallulah jumped inside the duct, barely avoiding Lhinx's claws. Silver's were ok because they were always under those thick black leather gloves, but the Ronso's were not only bare, they were bigger. As she crawled inside, the gas began filling her body. "_Esuna!_" she cried and a blue light surrounded her. The ultimate spell against any bad stuff. "Hey, are you there? Can you hear me?" she called.

"Yeah! Help me please!" the man cried, in panic, but too weak to move or so Tallulah could tell.

"Ok, hold on to this!" she called back and said a quick spell. Again, her staff began to glow and it grew, longer and longer until the man said he got it. "That's it! Hold on tight!" Tallulah said the spell again and the staff returned very slowly to it's normal shape, pulling the weak man along. "Pull us out, Lhinxie!"

Lhinx nodded and pulled hard, resulting in both Tallulah and the man plopping out, his oxygen tank hitting the ground next to him and making a sharp clang sound.

"My mask!" The man cried and reached for the tank.

"We're near exit. Leave it behind." Lhinx said. Lhinx had managed to grab the man and begin to drag him away.

"We get out of here." Lhinx said to Tallulah and Lucine. As Lhinx carried the man out, he began wailing.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The man pleaded. "I was paid to pour that stuff into the ducts. I didn't know anyone would be in there for long! They were just supposed to get out."

"Shut up and come on." Lhinx said firmly. "Talk later, get out now!"

* * *

Slowly, Silver returned to his normal self. Dizzy and with a headache but the poison had been assimilated and destroyed by his body. Another power Demon's had. He looked around and saw his blitzball lying next to him, and he took and held onto it tight. "Ok... now time for payback..." he said. 

Silver looked at Serenity sitting next to him and smiled warmly. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" he asked, standing up, his legs feeling like jelly.

Serenity watched as Silver stood up, and she stood up with him to hold him upright, for it looked like he was going to fall over at any moment. "Silver, you really shouldn't be moving around! You almost died!" Serenity spread out her damp cloth and tied it around like a bandana over Silver's nose and mouth. "There, that should make it easier for you to breathe."

Serenity looked around the empty hallway. She didn't know where Kai or Zephyr was, and prayed to Yevon they were okay. "Well, the others went back for another person that was trapped." She looked back at him. Silver didn't look like he was going to back down on finding whoever had done this. "If you're really going to go, I'm coming with you no matter what."

Silver looked at Serenity and smiled under the clothe, but then took it off and wrapped it around his forehead, like a headband. "If I can keep this, then you can come along" he joked, then tapped the bullet he gave her "Now we are even... and bound to each other" Silver leaned to kiss her and after cracking his body a little he went on running towards where Serenity had told Lhinx and the others had gone.

But then, Silver remembered... Dam! Dam was still near, just in the middle of the gas leak. "I have to help Dam!"

Serenity smiled and shook her head. "You know, if you wanted something in return for the necklace, I could have gotten you something better than a wet cloth," Serenity joked, and followed him as he started off towards where the others went. But he stopped suddenly, and spoke about someone named Dam. "Well then, let's go."

He took off running the opposite way, down a very long corridor where the gas was pretty strong. Silver put the his ungloved hand over his mouth and the other on Serenity's shoulder. "Stay right here, my organism can either assimilate and destroy the poison or let it kill me, human's organism will only let the poison kill them."

Without waiting, Silver took off again, as fast as a Tiger Demon could, which was just REALLY fast. He got in nothing but seconds to Dam's office and kicked the door open. There, his cousin lay with his head on the desk, unconscious or maybe even death. Silver lifted the heavy-build man on his back and took off again, to where Serenity was and farther away to the exit. He could feel poor Dam breathing with so much difficult he could barely believe he was alive. If something happened to his cousin, Silver would tear the responsible into pieces.

* * *

Lhinx had managed to get the man to the circular bench outside the locker room entrances. The man kept crying as he sat there, trembling with guilt. Lhinx took off Silver's scarf and held it in her hand. "Stop crying and calm down." Lhinx ordered of the man. 

"You don't understand! I'm gonna be killed because of this. How can I not be crying and be able to relax when I'm gonna die?"

"I not let anyone kill you." Lhinx said calmly.

"How do I know that?"

"If I want you dead, I would leave you in locker room without mask."

"You should've, anything would be better then to be killed by my boss."

The man let out another wail and bent over, covering his face with his hands.

"What happened?" Lhinx asked calmly.

"I was hired to pour chlorine into the ducts. I was given 100,000 gil to do it. I couldn't just refuse, I needed the money." The man said through sniffles and tears.

"Who hire you?"

"I don't know, there was always a different middle man on the sphere whenever we talked. I was given instructions to follow by them. Everything I used, the chlorine, the gas mask and the O2 tank were left in specific places along with the money."

"How you get stuck?"

"Some of it dropped, about 100 of it, into the duct and I reached in. Then the ladder dropped out from under me, I fell in and began crying for help. That's when I heard you. Please don't kill me! I got a wife and three sons. The temple took everything of ours."

"Temple?"

"Yes, I'm a merchant from Bevelle, my family's there and living with my wife's family until I can come back with the money to restart our business."

"When first meeting with middlemen?"

"I was going to the temple in Bevelle to pray for mercy from Yevon and to forgive me for whatever sin caused me to have to have my money taken by the temple. As I knelt, a man came up behind me. He told me not to turn around but to go where he told me or else he would shoot me with the machina weapon at my back. He took me to a private room and gave me a sphere which I was too be contacted by my boss. I was instructed to come to Luca from Bevelle and await orders there."

Lhinx shook her head as the man continued with basically the same information he had given her of what had happened. (I better not let Silver get hold of this guy.)

"Please don't kill me!" The man begged once more.

* * *

"Stay right here, my organism can either assimilate and destroy the poison or let it kill me, human's organism will only let the poison kill them." 

Serenity blinked as Silver placed a hand on her shoulder and said this. "No, wait, Silver—" Serenity called after him as he took off again without her. Why was everyone treating her as if she couldn't do anything, or that she was fragile that she would break under any circstance? First it was Lucine, and now it was Silver—she wasn't that weak, was she? Serenity waited there patiently, though, for Silver's return. He came back after a while, with a man on his back, and he passed by her towards the exit. Serenity looked back, hoping no one else was there, and followed again after Silver hesitantly. Everyone might have been evacuated, but they still had to turn off whatever was leaking out the chlorine, and find Zephyr and Kai.

* * *

Kai sat there on his knees for a second before getting up slowly, using the wall as a brace. "Man this stinks." As Kai made his way out, he covered his mouth with part of his jacket. After a minute he made his way out to where Serenity and the others were. "Man, don't go down there...Whew!" He says loudly and sarcastically, trying to joke about the bad situation as he falls back to his knees from dizziness from the gas.

* * *

Once they were finally outside, Silver placed his cousin on a bench, outside the building. "Dam, Dam wake up... Dam you cannot die on me, you still have to tell me your story in this years." Tears began to fill his eyes, and Silver shook him until Dam opened his eyes at last. 

"Sil...ver... little Silver... everywhere you go there is trouble," his cousin said, laughing in agony. "Silver... if I don't make it... tell... tell Shahna I love her. Remember Shahna? I married her... and she is waiting a kid..."

"Hang in there, buddy. You are a strong guy, poison isn't going to kill you," Silver said, his thoughts flying to Shahna, a beautiful Al-Bhed girl Dam met at Zanarkand while accompany Silver and Tallulah on their second journey.

"I... I'm not dying just yet... but I think I'll take a nap..." Dam said weakly and closed his eyes, his breathing getting steady. Silver took off his glove and bit his wrist, blood coming out.

"Drink my blood, Dam. Demon's blood can cure poison. It's like an antidote" Silver said, revealing a secret only Demons knew. If any human heard that, the word would spread and a massive genocide of Demons would begin. That's why they kept is a secret.

Dam drank a little, and Silver took the pain. After a few moments, Silver put his hand away from Dam's mouth and made sure he swallowed it. He was sure his cousin would make it... but then, Silver felt a sudden long to tear the one who did this into pieces, very, very slowly and then feast on his flesh.

Serenity stood near Silver as he spoke with Dam, but figured it was a personal time, and took a few steps back. Lhinx and the others were already outside with some man she didn't recognize, and Serenity looked over at Kai, who had just come out. "Kai?" Serenity said, and quickly walked over to him. "Are you okay?" She knelt down beside him and looked at him worriedly.

Kai looked up at Serenity when she kneeled beside him. "You know it would take more then a little stinky gas to take out your big bro," He said, laughing, but coughed when he tried to laugh too much. "So what about you sis? You doing alright?" He said as he coughed a little more. "Man I should be fine in a little bit this fresh air will cleanse my system of the gas," Kay said in an attempt to comfort his sister.

Serenity smiled slightly at Kai, hoping the gas didn't go too far into his system to prove the whole fresh air idea useless. Patting him lightly on the shoulder, Serenity looked around at the rest of the group. "I'm doing pretty good, actually. I had a wet cloth for good breathing, and guardian angel over there," Serenity nodded over to Silver, "made sure I didn't go anywhere where the chlorine concentration was too high for me to handle." Serenity actually felt pretty bad for feeling so good. She'd wish something would happen to her so she didn't look as if she wasn't helping the group out at all.

Silver stood up with a solemn face that suddenly turned into rage. "Whomever did this... I'm making sure he gets no hands to work again... tear him into pieces and feast on his flesh and blood!" Silver moved his head up and finally showed the colour of his eyes. The shiny black eyes he had were gone and now a crimson red filled them. His rage had taken over him. "I'm going to make him suffer for hurting those I love!"

"I have to agree with you Silver... And when I get better I am gonna have to hurt the one responsible for this too," Kai said in between coughs. "Man this sucks."

The man cried in fear after hearing Silver's proclamation and began to get up to run away, but was stopped by a Ronso youth's arm blocking his way.

"Please, he's gonna kill me!" The man begged.

"And running to far end of Spira not gonna stop that if he set mind to it." Lhinx said as she forced the man to sit down again. "Lhinx have alchemist, healer and other friends who heal those hurt by gas. Calm down."

The man hid his face within his hands and wailed once more.

"Crying not deter wrath of demon, or anything for that matter." Lhinx was a bit annoyed now, but knew patience was needed for this man.

When Silver saw him for first time his first impulse was to jump on him and butch him like cattle... but as he walked slowly towards the panicked man he knew he couldn't have been the one after all that. _Maybe some hired, worthless piece of shit... I'm make him tell me who is behind this..._

Without thinking, Silver ran and appeared in less than a second in front of the man. His anger was so great a vein popped out from his forehead and broke the headband. Silver took off a glove and grabbed the man by the neck, lifting him on the air as he cried and plead for his life.

"Who did this! Was it just you or someone paid you for hurting my friends! Answer you worthless human!" Silver passed his thumb over the back of the man's neck and scratched it with his claw, making it bleed a little, one of those little cuts that ache like hell. "Tell me or I'm ripping your head off!"

Lhinx could barely hold back the impulse to stop the angered Tiger demon. She noted the way he held the man's neck and could see any attempt at relinquishing his grip would be fatal to the already scared human.

"I told the Ronso I don't know! Please, put me down, I beg you! I can't breathe!" The man cried as he waved his arms around to the back of his neck to stop the bleeding. He looked fearfully to Lhinx.

"You told me you wouldn't let anyone kill me!" The man said in a hoarse voice. "You should've let me run! Now I'll never see my family!"

Lhinx closed her eyes, trying to avert her gaze from the helpless man. A crowd was beginning to form around the scene. People were whispering, some giving looks of pity to the human, others looking in disgust at those who were threatening the man. (Be calm. This is a very delicate situation...) "Ronso do not lie." Lhinx said. "Lhinx not let anyone kill you."

The man began trembling again.

"Trust me." Lhinx said. "And explain calmly to Silver what you told Lhinx."

The man's terrified gaze began to relax a little as he watched Lhinx's almost stone like face. He attempted a gulp and nodded. He slowly began to relate to Silver the story of the Bevelle temple taking his family's funds and how a man in the temple first offered him the job.

"I have the sphere. It's with my things in the Luca Inn. I recorded all of their transmissions I got through it. They're still there." The man said.

Silver looked at him with a very angry face and dropped him hard on the floor. The Demon showed him his fangs and roared, making some of the persons around tremble and took a step back in fear. "You better be telling the truth... or you shall be my meal."

The Silver Fang they once knew was gone. Now it wasn't Silver anymore, it was _Wolfe_. Silver's great secret, his second name was Wolfe, as well as his other personality, the one that appeared when he was taken by the rage. His crimson red eyes looked deep into the man's and made him tremble in such a fear many would've just died from it.

"You are shit... risk people's life just for your personal problems..." He sure was mad, but knew that if he wanted to get the one behind all this he would have to let the man live. "You will see your family again... but not until you help me find whomever hired you... it's that or being torn into pieces right here and now!"

Lucine was so scared by Silver's sudden change of personality, that she took a couple steps back, making her trip on one of the steps. she stumbled back, but never took her eyes from Silver. He was mad before...but now it was like someone had cast Berserk on him! His eyes were blood-shot and his teeth were flashing menacingly. She was sure if anyone tried to get in between him and the man who did this, even if it was Serenity, they'd be torn to pieces.

"W-well then...s-should we go to the Luca inn?" She said quietly, so as not to stir up Silver's rage any further.

Silver... or better be said Wolfe, looked at Lucine, his eyes still red but his face no longer showing extreme anger. It was solemn this time. He glanced at the people around who were looking at him with fear and shook his head. Then at poor Dam, sleeping, suffering from the side effects of the poison. Wolfe eyed one of the people in the public and motioned him to come forward, which of course he didn't do.

"My cousin needs help, and you look pretty strong. I ask you to carry him to the hospital. Here..." Wolfe took a few coins out of his pocket and gave toss them to the man. "... Just make sure he gets there." He looked at his companions, their faces filled with confusion and even fear. Something inside his heart made it ache when he saw them. Nevertheless he knew what he had to do. Wolfe walked to the man and grabbed the back of his jacket, then lifted him on his shoulder and started walking.

"Let's get going" he said, his voice ice cold. "We can't let the responsible for all this to get away with it..."


	31. The Search for the Ones Responsible

**The Search for the Ones Responsible**

As Silver started walking away, Lucine followed right behind like a little duckling. She took a quick glance back, though, to make sure the man in the crowd was helping Dam. And sure enough, he was. Silver had given him a lot of Gil. "C'mon guys." She waved to the others, who still looked like they were in shock from the whole thing.

Tallulah was too scared to move. Silver was like _that_ again, all mad and berserk. She just saw it once and she really wished Silver would never turn into the creature they were looking at ever again. But it was inevitable. Silver was a Demon after all, and his mind was far beyond anyone's knowledge.

"Silver, wait up!" she ordered, shaking, and whispered the spell once again. Suddenly, Silver's gunblade fell from the sky and stabbed the ground. His bag and the freezer pack, along with everyone else's belongings, followed it. Tallulah collapsed on her knees, for she was now exhausted. The summoning was not only to summon Aeons, but stuff related to the persons that were inside the heart of a summoner.

"Take your gunblade... and return to be the Silver we all love..."

Lucine jumped as Silver's gunblade and other belongings fell from the sky. She looked back and saw that Tallulah was on the ground, shaking from exhaustion and fear. Lucine ran over to her and tried to help her up. "Are you alright, Tallulah?" Even if she was on Serenity's side in the love war, Tallulah was still part of their group, and she wouldn't ignore any of them if they needed help. Then, whispering in her ear, "Are you crazy? He's in some kind of demon berserker mode! You could make him even angrier.."

Lhinx gave a grateful look to Tallulah as she took her shirt containing all of her belongings and followed Silver. She could hear even the slightest whisper from the crowd. "They're no better then common thugs." She heard a man say.

"Yes. Justice is one thing, but brutality is just disgusting." A young woman replied.

"Serves that idiot right. But they should let the security handle this, not that kid." An elderly man replied.

"Any security guard would be out of his right mind to try and stop them. Just let 'em go." The first man replied.

(Why is he acting like this?) Lhinx wondered as she watched Silver from behind. (I suppose his inner demon has finally come out. Will he ever snap out of it and return to normal? Or for that matter will he do this again?) Lhinx wondered. She walked behind the two, giving the man a reassuring look.

"I know it's not right what I did...I don't know what made me concede to the deal..." The man said quietly, a look of fear still abounding on his face.

The Ronso youth almost, no, did pity the man. (Just another overly faithful member of New Yevon caught between his faith in the Temple and the love of his family.) Lhinx thought bitterly. (And why is the temple taking such extremes to get funding?)

Part of the crowd followed the group, much to Lhinx's unliking.

(Better not let Silver handle this.) Lhinx thought. She stopped and turned around to face the group that had watched the little scene. The group stopped.

"Go back to normal business. We handle this." Lhinx simply said and turned around.

* * *

Zephyr had heard the goings-on from a distance, in the far locker rooms, but the gas was getting to her already. She went as fast as she could towards the exit, but her muscles were weakening, her diaphragm slackening. It wasn't long before Raphaela Guado stumbled and fell on the hard tile floor, only a few yards away from the door and freedom. Her surroundings swirled and melted into a grotesque image in her field of vision before she passed out, gun clattering from her hand into view of those outside, in the doorway. So much for playing hero.

As Lucine was helping Tallulah up, she heard a clattering noise a few feet behind. She turned around to see Zephyr sprawled on the ground, her gun a lying beside her. "Aw man...you guys! Zephyr's collapsed from the chlorine. We have to get her to the hospital too!" Lucine looked at Zephyr on the ground. _Don't worry...we'll have you in the hospital in no time...just hold on..._

* * *

Serenity sat frozen in her spot for some time. Her heart literally felt like it had stopped beating for one moment as Silver undergone some sort of transformation. The others seemed just as terrified, too, but they eventually regained their composure and began walking their way off towards the Inn. Serenity slowly picked herself up, finding she was the last one to get a move on.

As she made her way towards her bag that a now collapsed Tallulah had summoned up, Serenity felt herself being pulled back and she looked as the people from the stadium had joined the other mob that had already assembled themselves around as the scene had unfolded. _Guess it's what I'm good for…damage control and speeches._ Serenity thought, and rubbed the side of her head for something to say. She had heard their whispers already.

"Lady Serenity! You can't possibly be traveling with that—that—demon!"

Serenity shook her head and looked around at all the faces. "No, he isn't usually like that, you have to understand…"

"I bet he'd kill the lot of you without a second thought!"

Serenity opened her mouth to retort, but closed it abruptly, watching Silver's retreating back. They couldn't be right about that…could they? _Even…even if they were, I would gladly die at the hands of him, if that would break him of his trance._ Serenity looked back at the group.

"I thank you all for your worries, but we all will be fine. No one is in danger. The perpetrator of the horrendous crime of the chlorine gas leakage into the ventilation system has been caught and will be…dealt with accordingly," Serenity said slowly, hoping Silver wouldn't actually go berserk on the man, then looked past the crowd's heads over at Lucine, who said Zephyr was injured. She had to wrap this up quickly and help. "Um, with the incident being thoroughly investigated, I would please ask for everyone to return to their prior engagements. There is a blitzball game that has been delayed should be starting momentarily."

Serenity looked at the crowd as they begun to whisper amongst themselves again, and she spoke again quickly. Spira needed to be informed head on of its situation—and there was one thing she knew that would get their minds off everything's that happened. It worked during the time of Sin...and it should work again. "There…will be a speech given later in the day. And subsequent that…the blitzball season will officially commence with the High Summoner's daughter's blessings."

The crowd loudly cheered at that, and most began filling into the stadium once again, the others dispersing to wherever they were heading previously. Serenity let out a relieved sigh, then quickly made her way to Lucine and Zephyr. "We better carry her over to the hospital quickly."

* * *

Lhinx heard the sound of metal clattering and turned to the locker rooms where Lucine and Serenity had gone. (Zephyr.) Lhinx thought and ran after them. The gas was beginning to clear a bit, but the Ronso youth still covered her nose and went to her fallen companion.

(How could I forget about her...She can take care of herself, everyone's gotten used to that. But it still doesn't excuse leaving her behind.) Lhinx thought.

The Ronso stopped and looked down at the semi scratched weapon. The very weapon that had nearly caused her own death. She knelt down and picked it up. She placed it with her own belongings and found Lucine and Serenity. The Ronso youth looked down at the fallen Guado-halfling. (She's still breathing, but she needs help.)

The Ronso youth lifted Zephyr up. "Which way to hospital?" Lhinx asked.

* * *

_Wolfe_ looked angrily at the crowd as they began following them. Then he heard some calling him a beast, a murderer that would kill his friends without a second thought. He turned around with the hysterical man still on his shoulder and faced whole pack of watchers. "I wouldn't ever dare to hurt Serenity! But you, all of you who think the way you do about us... I would feast on your flesh without even hesitating. Onto the very last child you teach to hate Demons!"

Another roar, not like the one he did to scare Nedus, but a more powerful one, one that would drain the blood out of anyone. The crowd stared, terrified and Wolfe walked up to his belongings. First he dropped the man, but prevented him from escaping by placing his foot on his back. Wolfe took the freezer pack, his and Serenity's travel bags and finally his gunblade.

The moment he touched the hilt of his blade, Wolfe disappeared, and Silver Fang returned. He looked around, confused and very aware of what he had done. His eyes went back to normal, the same shiny black. The audience was just too afraid of him and he decided not to say a thing. He put his gunblade on his belt and grabbed the man once again, lifting him and walking again. "I'll spare your life, human, if you keep calm and quiet until we get to the inn."

Serenity looked up at Lhinx and stood up as she lifted Zephyr up. Looking around for the hospital, she saw a back to normal Silver starting to walk off with the man responsible for the leakage, and Tallulah still collapsed on the ground. "We better not leave Silver alone, especially with that man, hm?" Serenity said thoughtfully, then looked back at Lucine and Lhinx. "You guys better take Tallulah with you. I think she needs the rest. I'll go with Silver. I guess we'll have to meet up later."

Serenity waved at them then ran to catch up with Silver. "Hey, Silver, wait up!" Serenity called, and slowed to a walk as she caught up. She walked with her hands on her hips as she caught her breath. She wasn't sure if she should bring up what just happened to him, or mention the man he was holding in case it set him off again, so Serenity walked silently, trying to figure out what to say.

* * *

"Yes ma'm!" Lucine said as she waved goodbye. "Well Lhinxie, it looks like it's up to you and me to get Zephyr to the hospital. Do you need any help carrying her?" Zephyr was so skinny, though, that she doubted if Lhinx needed any help, but she thought she should offer anyway.

"Lessee...I think the hospital is near the theater where Tallulah used to perform." She started walking off in the direction, pretty sure the hospital was located there.

"Not need help, but thank you." Lhinx said. The truth was, Zephyr was incredibly lighter then Lhinx had expected. Her weight was very little if any bit of a problem for the Ronso youth as she followed Lucine to the hospital.

"Lhinx hope Silver not get too angry with man. Made promise to spare life." Lhinx said. "If man die, Lhinx never be forgiven."

* * *

Silver looked back at Serenity, blushing with shame of what he had done. Not even saying a word, Silver placed his hand in between the man's neck and shoulder and pressed a little, putting him to sleep.

"It's just a little trick," he told Serenity. "He is just asleep and will be awaken by the time we get to the inn. Just... that I need to talk to you." Silver turned around and faced her, throwing the man on the floor for a few moments. "Serenity... I'm sorry, I really am. I... think those people are right... I am a monster. I'm dangerous for you all because I cannot control my own emotions. I love you, Serenity... and if there is something I can do for you to forgive me I will. I don't care what it is... I don't wanna lose you..."

Serenity watched bewilderedly as Silver put the man to sleep, and she abruptly stopped walking as Silver turned to face her, throwing the man down. She bit her bottom lip and hoped the man wasn't injured, then looked up at Silver. Serenity searched his face worriedly, wondering what he was talking about. Was this all about him having a psycho moment back there…or was he talking about something more. Her blue and green colored eyes rested upon his eyes, still confused.

"Silver…I love you, too. I truly, deeply do, and I always will. Never doubt that." Serenity blinked thoughtfully, hanging her head slightly. "If this is about what happened back there, with the whole transformation and stuff…I mean, of course I forgive you, that's…not your fault, right? I think you freaked us all out, but were all just really worried about you." She lifted her head and looked at him. "But if this is about Tallulah…I don't think we should be discussing this right now."

Serenity kneeled down, sitting the unconscious man upright. She wasn't sure when she wanted to discuss it, ever. It hurt to even think about it.

Like if he was a rag doll, Silver grabbed the unconscious man and put him on his shoulder again. "Serenity, it's not Tallulah, and it won't ever be Tallulah. I told you earlier today, my heart belongs to you." Silver sighed a little and started walking. "But indeed it is about my transformation. I'm not a normal Demon, Serenity. There is something deeper... you see, my name ain't just Silver Fang... my complete name is Silver Wolfe Fang. To make the story short, my mom had not only me but another child, we where twins. Dad already knew how to name us: the older one would be Wolfe, the younger would be Silver. But my brother... he died just minutes after he was borne, and so my parents named me Silver Wolfe in his memory."

"But it isn't just my name. There is a legend that says when the older twin dies right away after his birth, the younger one will inherit his soul, and keep him deep inside his heart for newborns can't be Sent that easily. Wolfe... Wolfe represents my wild side, the side that could kill whoever stands on his way. The side I'm afraid might take over me again. That's the reason I use a gunblade to fight. If I fight with my fangs and claws, then I will lose control over my wild side and become a monster."

Silver looked at Serenity at the same time a tear rolled down his cheek. Teary-eyed, the Demon gave another sigh and went on. "I... I love you, and I want to be with you forever. I know the two of us are still young... and that I'm not what you could call a peaceful boy. But I promise... I'll do my best to try and keep Wolfe hidden inside of me... forever."

Serenity looked up as Silver grabbed the man again, and she stood up and walked alongside him as he began walking. She walked silently, listening to his story. As Serenity looked at him, she noticed a tear roll down his cheek, and she wiped it away gently, her eyes filled with as much sadness as Silver was feeling. "Silver…why didn't you tell us…why didn't you tell me…" She cast her eyes down before looking straight ahead.

"If…if you should lose control…I just want you to know…I'd die gladly for you, Silver. So don't feel guilty if it ever happens, okay? No one would blame you." Serenity said, her voice somber. She held onto his hand and intertwined their fingers tightly. "Is there no cure to this? Some legend that counteracts this one?"

"NO!" Silver turned again and hugged Serenity, the man once again falling from his shoulder, still unconscious "I... I would slice my throat before even thinking about hurting you. Silver, Wolfe, whichever I am, both love you, Serenity!"

He hugged her tighter, protectively, not wanting to let go of her. "I... I told you back at Besaid, I would give my life for you. And at Kilika I promised I would protect you forever. I will fulfill that promise... no one, especially myself, will ever hurt you as long as I am alive." Silver kissed her cheek and then looked deep into her eyes, leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"I... I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid. I was afraid I might lose you, not only you but everyone. I... I got nobody else, and besides Dam, you are the only family I have. That is why I got like mad back there. If Dam had died... and you... I don't even wanna think about what would've happened to this man here."

Silver knelt and grabbed the poor man again, who began snoring much to his surprise. "I love you, Serenity. If there may be a cure, I'll search for it when we find your parents... but if there isn't... would you still look at me the way you do now?"

Serenity closed her eyes softly and hugged Silver back as he hugged her, feeling a warm tear run down her cheek. She blinked away the tears to gaze at Silver more clearly as he looked deep into her eyes, and she kissed him back when softly kissed her. Laughing ever so slightly as the man began snoring, Serenity looked back at Silver as he posed to her a question.

"Of course I would, Silver. Nothing will change if you do or don't find a cure to this. You're still you, and I love every part of you, even Wolfe. You're never going to lose me, Silver. Never. And I'm positive everyone else agrees with me." She looked at him, more tears falling down her face, and she kissed him gently on the lips, unable to say much of anything else of what she felt in words.

Silver smiled kindly and returned the kiss, then brushed her hair softly. "That's all I needed to know," he said as he dried her tears with his gloved hands, then turned and took off, walking hand in hand with her.

"Hey... now that I remember... I broke the cloth you gave me... but I got a better idea." Silver stopped again now just a few minutes away from the inn and took off his gloves. Carefully he took one of the three earrings Serenity wore. Then, in one quick movement he pierced his own left tiger ear with his claw. Very little blood came out and in matter of seconds the hole was reduced to nothing but a small piercing. There, Silver placed the earring, which even when it looked weird on him he loved it just because he knew it belonged to the one girl he loved the most.

"Guess there is a first time for everything. And this is my first piercing." Silver laughed and keep on walking.

Serenity giggled, leaning backwards and tilting her head playfully, taking a good long glance at him and his newfound piercing. "Why, it looks marvelous on you," Serenity teased, wrapping her free hand around his arm and resting her head on his arm as they walked. "And now you officially have the Zanarkand Abes symbol on you. Very fitting." Serenity smiled at the comment as they neared the inn. "I wonder what new earring I should get?" She asked, but didn't expect an answer. Serenity held open the door for him, as he was carrying the man and their bags, it was the least she could do. "What are we going to do with him?"

"Coco-wash with mineral water maybe?" Silver joke as he shook the man violently. The man awoke and looked down in fear as he was expecting it all to be a nightmare. "Hey, we are here, no show me that sphere," he said in a very cold voice, putting the man down.

"Yes--yes sir," the man said, and ran upstairs to his room. Silver followed, not wanting him to get out of his sight. The man led them into his room, a small and cheap one, and as he said the sphere was laying on his bed. Silver took it in his hands and rewind it. A man whose face was half-hidden in shade appeared and began talking. He said something about 'doing what Yevon wanted him to do' and Silver's rage for New Yevon boiled to the top.

"That voice... the idiot isn't using a voice modifier... I can trace him just with that," Silver said as his ears twitched a little, making a metallic sound with his new earring. "I can tell he is in Luca, or was when he recorded this. Maybe near the docks, the ocean can be heard."

"You... letting me go now?" the man asked, with both hope and terror in his eyes.

"If you swear on your dirty blood you will get the first boat to Bevelle... no, better use the highroad, your boss may still be at the docks and we don't want him to find you, do we?" Silver took the man's arm and made a quick slash on it with his claws. The man moaned in pain and held on to it tight, then Silver handed him a bandage. "That scar will remind you what Yevon did to you, and to never EVER accept to hurt others just for you personal problems because next time you'll become my chew toy."

The man nodded, terrified and grabbed his bag. "And I'm keeping this sphere, now go to your family with the money the Yevonites paid you, and consider yourself lucky. You are the first human that hurts my loved ones and gets away in one piece. The others became a human puzzle... their parts everywhere." Again, the man took a step back and nodded, then took off running.

Silver turned to Serenity. "Well, to the docks then," he said and put down the freezer pack and their bags. "This room is now empty, I guess we can take it to keep our things. They might put on a fight and I rather have my back free." He picked his blitzball up from the floor and then came into notice he was missing something. "No... to the hospital first. Lhinx has my scarf."

Serenity had turned her head away when Silver slashed at the man's arm, and didn't looked back until Silver had turned to her. Well that was what she needed to hear…Silver slashing people into a human puzzle. She really hoped that was a bad joke. Serenity nodded at him, and made her way down the stairs and out the inn.

"This doesn't make much sense…Why would Yevon want to kill somebody…and who exactly were they trying to kill?" Serenity crossed her arms loosely as they walked to the hospital. "Seems a little too ruthless, even for New Yevon." _Or am I just being naive?_ "Maybe Lhinx and Lucine can make something out of the sphere. This isn't looking very good…what am I to say to Spira?"

"For now we have to keep it hush-hush. Last time New Yevon and the Youth League had a fight... well your mother knows about it better than all of us together. I don't know who they were trying to kill, I don't think it was just me. Even when my head has a price for Yevon that was just a bit too much. But still I'm not sure. Maybe... someone found out we are trying to find Lady Yuna and wants to stop us. Or maybe just some crazy fan Tallulah turned down. There are a thousand possible explanations..."

Silver sighed again softly and held Serenity's hand a little tighter. "Whatever it is, either Silver or Wolfe Fang will protect Lady Serenity to their very last breath. Which makes me come to think about those creatures inside the temples... could all of this be someway connected or it's just random crap that appears on our way?" He laughed a little and smiled at Serenity. "I'm sorry, I told earlier I ain't the one with the brains in this group. I'm better at asking questions than at finding the answers."

Serenity giggled and squeezed Silver's hand. "It's okay. Questions are good. I just don't like where these answers are leading. Everything's piling up and I have no clue where to begin." Nearing the hospital, Serenity took a look around. "So are you going to go after this man after retrieving your scarf?"

"Sure am. No one hurts my friends and get away with it so easily. That's why I need my scarf... and my mask as well. You could say... I wear my mask every time I fight just in case Wolfe shows up. It won't let anyone to see my eyes turn crimson red, and the scarf will cover the rest of my face. Of course, I'll try not to overdo it." Silver smiled at Serenity and put an arm around her shoulder.

_I would like to butch the one behind all this like if he was cattle, then have a good meal, feasting on his flesh and drinking his blood from inside his skull... but I can't. I'm not alone anymore... I got Serenity to live for and I won't turn into the monster I once was ever again... _

_You cannot help it, your animal side... you are a Tiger Demon after all... _

_I know... but you have to understand, Wolfe. We are one, but we will never be the same. Serenity is everything to me and I won't risk losing her because of you! _

_Then you want me to disappear? I can't! I live inside you, and I'm sorry for it. I would be calm... but that person did hurt not only Dam but everyone close to your heart... he even risked Serenity's life. Find the man, I'll take care of the rest... Serenity will never know. We have a deal? _

_Like I had any more options..._

"So, how are we planning to start the Blitz Season with all this going on?" Silver asked "We can't risk anybody else's life. We gotta find your mother and father like real quick, same for the man behind this and find out whatever the Yevonites are planning. Everything is just a maze, and I'm afraid it's a long way till we can see the light at the end of the tunnel."

* * *

Lucine led the way to the hospital, which wasn't very far away. Just across the bridge, around the bend, and through the door. "Well...I don't think silver's going to kill the guy. And anyway, it looked like he returned to normal after he touched his sword." She put her hands behind her head, and walked along, thinking. On one hand, whenever Silver turned into that..._demon_...he became a killing machine! Good, if you're in a tight spot during battle, but not so good in a situation like this. Even so, it looked like his sword, the gunblade, had the power to transform him back into normal Silver.

Soon they arrived at the hospital doors, interrupting Lucine's thoughts. She held open the door for Lhinx, who had her hands full with Zephyr.

"So much for Blitzball. Lhinx looking forward to playing too." Lhinx said. "Then this happen. Season already sabotaged by disappearance of Lady Yuna. What person hope to gain from this?"

(I still can't get out of my head the fact that both the glories and the fangs were in the locker rooms at the same time this happened. If they were after us, I suppose it would be good to have other teams around so it wouldn't look as obvious, but why didn't they do it when the Goers were in their locker rooms? Maybe these people are just human purists...) Lhinx thought. (I can't just narrow it down to blaming the temple. It could be anyone...)

* * *

Serenity rested her head against the arm Silver had put around her shoulder. How were they going to start the Blitz Season? "Well, we can't _not_ do it. People are upset enough that the season hasn't officially started because Lady Yuna is nowhere to be found. Imagine it now, with the chlorine attack? News will spread about that and the collapse of the Kilika Temple. We're probably going to have to have tight security for the stadium. That's all we can do." Serenity closed her eyes and sighed as they continued to walk.

"Playing blitzball is what got people's minds off Sin during that time. There were dangers in doing it then, as there are now. I was planning that would work this time around. It will give us something to work behind as we try to figure out everything…The disappearances, the half-fiends, this chlorine attack and whatever association Yevon has with any of it."

Serenity laughed slightly now, shaking her head and lifting it from its resting-place. How did her mother ever do it? "If I must, I'll have to take over whatever my mother does around Spira. We can't have Spira start crumbling now."

"Well, whatever it is... we'll face it together," Silver said. "I'll be by your side, no matter what. Though I don't think Spira would see that with good eyes. The daughter of High Summoner Yuna with a un worthy Demon from the Dark Times as they call us. Tight security means a big no-no for me... just like they used to hate the Al Bhed for using machina in the time of Sin, they hate us for being different. Just liked they used to hate the Ronso before Sin came to exist."

He laughed slightly, shaking his head. "Now many even love to visit the Ronso at Gagazet... as they used to visit the Guado at Guadosalam when Lord Jyscal was a Maester. But we Demons come from fiends... the creatures Spira hate the most. And so they hate us because of our differences. But as long as I have you, I don't give a chocobo feather what they think about me and my people. What I can tell... and no offence with this... is that as long as Yevon exists we won't be liked. After all, they called us _Demons_."

Silver took a deep breath, remembering that Yevonite Priest he had to beat when he called his mother on the same day of her funeral a _naive slut_ for being married with a Demon. That guy was the first person Silver... no, Wolfe killed. The one because of whom Yevon wanted him vanished and the first one Wolfe feasted on. "Although, they thought the same about the Ronso once till Maester... what was his name? Oh yes, until Maester Luten was saved by one of them eight hundred years ago. Traveling with that old geezer Maechen is useful at times. I hope... maybe someday people will see us Demons as they see the Ronso now... and stop killing our kind in underground hunts and pursuits."

* * *

Lucine continued to hold the door for Lhinx, now that they were at the hospital. She could feel the cold air from the building rushing out. It felt good next to the heat of the afternoon sun. "C'mon Lhinxie! We have to get Zephyr in to see a doctor. I think the chlorine poisoning may be getting worse!"

Lhinx entered and looked around to see many people with coughing or sleeping friends in a waiting room of sorts. Lhinx went up to what she assumed to be the front desk. The receptionist eyed the half-Guado in the Ronso youth's arms with curiosity. "She breathe too much chlorine. Need help." Lhinx said with a touch of concern noted on her face.

"Another one. Do you mind waiting a few minutes?" The receptionist asked.

"No doctor available?" Lhinx asked.

"I'll find one, I promise." The receptionist said politely as she turned a sphere on. "Please take a seat. This will only take a minute."

Lhinx nodded and walked to an empty section of seats. "We have to wait." Lhinx said to Lucine. "Doctors busy with others."

* * *

Serenity smiled softly. "I hope that someday that happens, too, Silver." Serenity blinked, thinking. "Do you really think Spira would judge us being together?" _What if they try to pull us apart?_ "That's the thing with some people…they only used to go to Gagazet because of the summoners traveled there, and they only want to Guadosalam because of the Maesters. Once they lose their purpose people throw them away like its some worthless sphere. It's…sad."

Serenity closed her eyes. "Is Yevon to blame for Spira's discrimination against all things and people different? Who refuse to follow their rules…? An organization should not hold such power over the world. No one should. We'll just have to show Spira that they're wrong about you and your kind and about the Guado…f it continues I fear Spira will be swallowed up by hatred."

Serenity slowly opened her eyes and saw the hospital up ahead. Smiling, forgetting her worries for that split second, Serenity held onto Silver's hand. "Come on! Maybe they're inside already!" With that, she began to jog towards it.

Silver followed her, laughing very softly. He was positive Spira wouldn't like Lady Serenity being with some dirt blood Demon, a creature many in Spira not only feared... but hated. Discrimination was something he got used ever since he was a child, people just kicking him when they visit Zanarkand for what he was and not for whom he was.

Once on the porch to the hospital, Silver began walking slowly and holding onto Serenity. "Don't worry, not even Spira itself will ever tear us apart. They have never succeeding in destroying true love. Just like your mother, she was forced to marry Seymour Guado much to your father's dislike if Maechen got that right. But at the end... well, you and Kai are living proof of that."

He looked deep into her eyes and placed a kiss on her soft lips, embracing her. "Everything will be just fine as long as we have one another" he declared and kissed her cheek, then turned and walked inside the hospital.

Serenity smiled and hugged Silver as they walked into the hospital. "Yeah, you're right Silver," she said, looking around the crowded hospital for Lucine and Lhinx. "Wow, a lot of people are injured, hm?" Serenity said, slightly worried. Her eyes catching upon the familiar blonde hair of Lucine and the height of Lhinx, Serenity made her way over to her. "Hey, glad we caught you. How's Zephyr doing?"

Hearing voices behind her, Lucine turned around to find Serenity and Silver walking towards them. "Hey! I'm so happy to see you guys!" She gave both of them a quick hug, then backed away and put her hands on her hips. "Well, it seems that a lot of people got injured in the chlorine attack. See?" She held out her arms, pointing around the room to all the people coughing. Some of them had even passed out, like Zephyr. "We talked to the receptionist and she told us it would take a few minutes. So a doctor should be here soon."

"Where are Tallulah and Kai?" Silver asked, as he didn't see them there. "Could they've gone to the other hospital? I can't smell Dam around here... maybe they are at the clinic. I bet you know about it, it's a provincial hospital that only opens when there is a mayor number of wounded people. I think... Maechen told me the last time it opened was back when Seymour summoned the Sinspawns during the Tournament around twenty years ago or so."

"Clinic..." Lhinx said. (I guess that makes sense. Having a back up like that for such disasters in such a large city is a wise decision.) Lhinx's ears both twitched.

(Is that...) Lhinx looked down at Zephyr. (She's alive. Her heart is beating, but barely. She's gonna be like this for a while, but at least she's a live. Now if only we could get a doctor to look at her.)

"Excuse me, Ms. Ronso?" The receptionist said and looked toward Lhinx. "A doctor has just finished with a patient and is willing to look at your friend there."

Lhinx nodded. "Luck is on our side." Lhinx said as she took Zephyr to where they had wheeled a bed out for her.

"We'll run some tests and see if we can make her breathing easier." A nurse said as they wheeled Zephyr away.

Lhinx returned to the others. "Should we follow?" Lhinx asked.

Lucine watched as Zephyr was wheeled away. _Finally..._ She thought. It had taken the doctor a while to get there. But it was understandable...a lot of people had been injured in the attack. " I don't think we should follow. We'd probably just get in the way of the doctor!" She laughed inwardly thinking about all of them wandering around the room tripping over wires and bumping into the doctor. The she turned to face Silver. "So, how did the interrogation go? Did he tell you anything?"

"Here." Silver handed her the sphere the man had gave them. "It's the Yevonites, I'm positive. But what they're after I have no idea." He nodded and played the sphere. It showed the same man, saying again something about Yevon's will. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

"Let me see." Lhinx said and pushed a button on the sphere. It rewound itself to one point where instructions were being given.

_"When you arrive in Luca, go directly to Dock 4. Your supplies will be in a small crate marked "Fragile". Pretend it is very valuable...oh what am I saying, of course you will. Yevon has faith in you. If asked what is in the box, say it's antidotes. You are a merchant after all. If questioned further, do not elaborate and go. And try not to draw attention to yourself. When you secure the box, go toward the Inn and get a room. You will receive further instructions later."_ The man stopped and the message ended.

"If he with Temple, wouldn't he not want anyone know? If anyone find sphere, Temple would be in trouble. Yevon not wise, but not stupid either." Lhinx said. "Be wise not let anyone have sphere. Especially news."

Serenity watched as Zephyr was wheeled away then held onto the chain of her necklace as she looked back at the others, trying not to stare too long at the other injured people around them. She didn't want to draw attention to them, as they had a hard enough time keeping a low profile, and she was interested in learning more about the sphere Silver found.

Listening to Lhinx's input on it, Serenity bit her bottom lip softly. "Maybe it's a setup. Someone trying to frame Yevon? Lead whoever found the sphere on a wild chocobo chase?" Silver was right. There were just too many possibilities. "Perhaps there's more clues back at the Inn. And Silver thinks whoever it is might still be in Luca. Whatever the case is we should be on the lookout. Lhinx is right. This person could be back to retrieve the sphere."

"If he wants to come then let him... I'll rip both his arms off," Silver declared. "I think the best is to start looking at the docks. You'll agree with me Lhinx that the ocean can be heard at the back of the transmit ion. Although we are not sure if he may still be here... let's keep on guard. Oh yes..." Silver smiled at Lhinx and took his scarf from her neck. "Please, thank you." He laughed and patted his Ronso friend's shoulder, smiling and wrapping the scarf around his neck.

"True. Possibly made sphere after placing items in said location. If he want sphere, I would like to see him try and take it." Lhinx said with a grin. "Dock may have his scent still, but other probably have come and gone, so scent gone too, or hidden. But where would he go after making sphere messages?"

"I think, the best course of action is to search the docks like Silver said. I mean, even if we don't find anything, it's worth a look, right?" Lucine took the sphere from Lhinx and watched the transmission over again. "At the very end it says 'You will receive further instructions later' That means that someone had to be here to give him those instructions. Maybe some people in the Inn saw them together, and could give us a description." She tossed the sphere back and forth thinking. "And as where he would've gone after the making the sphere message, the only way he could've gone is via the Mi'ihen Highroad, because there weren't any ships coming in or going out at the time..."

"Wait. There is more." Lhinx said and touched the sphere in Reidun's hands while pushing the same button she had earlier.

_"Position yourself in the confines of the custodian closet. Lock the door. You will receive a message, but do not answer it, but rather wait. If it beeps once, ignore it, beeps twice, abort, and if it beeps three times, get pouring. I will send you the signal, wait until then."_

"So that means nobody was here after all..." Lucine said pouting. "But, you would think they'd at least send a lookout to make sure he did the job, right?" She handed the sphere back to Lhinx. 'I guess that means we should check out the custodian closet. I'm sure the chlorine has cleared out by now, don't you think?"

"The smell may be hidden, but my nose is one of the best things I've got so I think I could trace it if we got anything that belonged to him. Maybe inside the closet as Lucine says... but we cannot leave Zephyr alone here... it would be a good idea if we find Kai and Tallulah first. They both got too much chlorine, but they should be ok. Let's just ask them to watch over Zephyr for the moment, we don't know after whom exactly was that guy after."

Serenity crossed her arms. They had too many things to do and not enough people, and perhaps even time, to do it all. "So we're splitting up, then? I'm sure the doctors will look over Zephyr, and the lower levels of the stadium should be cleared out by now. But that stills leaves us with places to check out and people to find."

"Well, I volunteer to go to and check out the Inn!" Lucine jumped up and down, excited that they were finally going to do some snooping around. "I'm good at interrogating poeple. And this sounds like the perfect job for me!"

"Yeah, you are so intimidating they'll sing like birds as soon as they see you," Silver joked and pat Lucine's shoulder. "Then you better take our Ronso lady with you. Serenity and I will go check the docks, and we'll meet say... here? I don't think it would be a good idea for me to appear on the central square again. People are already too scared of me."

Lhinx nodded. "Hope security let us near closet. If not volunteer, I force." Lhinx said.

"Well...I was gonna go check out the Luca Inn. You wanna come with me, Lhinx? I might need some help..." Lucine said, thinking of what Silver said. Maybe she wasn't as scary as she thought he was. "I'm sure some of the people there might know something. That is, unless they all got chlorine poisoning."

"So you guys check out the inn and we check out the docks? I guess that way we can go the stadium together, then." Serenity looked over at Silver. "Shall we start?"


	32. The Summoning of the Wind Beast

**The Summoning of the Wind Beast**

"Let's go, just don't let me let go of my gunblade and everything should be ok," Silver said and nodded, walking out of the hospital. "If I can get the smell on the box the guy from the sphere was talking about then I can trace down the one who put it there and make him speak."

Silver silenced for a moment. "I was thinking we would do well in going to Bevelle... there we might clear some stuff with those priests. I don't think low rank priests know anything about whatever they are planning, but I bet the Praetors do. Ever since Baralai was thrown out, New Yevon has been crazy. Stupid religious stuff."

Serenity nodded, wondering what Silver meant by making sure he kept a hold on his gunblade. _Is it somehow connected?_ Before she thought too far of it, Silver had gone silent, and then spoke again. "You sure you want to go to Bevelle? I mean, you don't like Yevon very much. But I agree. Praetor Baralai was the best thing that ever happened to New Yevon. It must be going corrupt again. Maybe it has something to do with the people he had thrown out before him. Something about them wanting too much power." Serenity then went silent herself. A meeting with the Praetors wasn't exactly a fun thing to do, especially under such circumstances. Anything could happen.

As they walked towards the docks, Serenity scanned around the busy streets. She hoped that if a fight broke loose, no one would get hurt. "Smell anything?"

"Yeah, your strawberry perfume has almost worn off," Silver joked, sniffing the air. "I can smell the chlorine still around, but it's obvious, once out of the locker rooms from the vents it had to go outside. Luckily, it's almost gone. I still don't get it, why would a Yevonite want to kill us all? The bounty over my head isn't that big, and the Guado and the Ronso are indifferent to Yevon, nor are they friend nor are they enemies. So it has come to us... it would be a good idea if we all had a little mushy-mushy talk about ourselves when we are done here. It could help explain some things."

Mainly, Silver was talking about Zephyr. The girl sure was mysterious... and even when he would trust her with his life, Silver couldn't help but wonder if there was anything she hadn't told them yet. And there was Tallulah, too. Where had she gone in the time they were apart? She was a revolutionary just like him, and hated Yevon as well. And then he thought about it...

_... What if they are after Serenity? She's Lady Yuna's daughter after all... what if they are trying to get the High Summoner using her daughter... _

_Yeah, but then they would be after Kai, too. He has as much from her mother as Serenity does, don't you think? _

_I know, but Kai doesn't seem to irradiate the same kind of aura Serenity does. Having her around is like having Lady Yuna herself... and they all look up to her as a leader just like her mother used to be... and will be once again when we find her... _

_What are you trying to say? _

_Kai is more easy-going, and more like a warrior than a politician. Lady Yuna is a warrior as well, but her presence or in this case, her absence always seems to affect Spira in one way or another. Kai may be her son, but he is much more the Guardian type than the Summoner type Serenity is... those two brothers are the clue to something Yevon wants, I just know it... _

_Easy there, you are talking about both your girl and your soon-to-be brother-in-law... that is if you have the guts to ask her... _

_Shut up! 'Course I will when the time comes, but for now I'll just have to shut my big mouth and look after Serenity, if Yevon comes after her then they will have to go over Silver... _

_... And Wolfe... _

_... Over both of us to get her! They won't lay a finger on her as long as there is life inside this body!_

"There are far too many possibilities," Silver went on after falling silent for a little while. "But I can bet whatever it is, Yevon has something to do with it. True I don't like Yevon very much, but if we can get some leads to your mother by getting them then I say it's worth a try. Don't worry, as long as you are with me to keep me in my right mind the bounty on my head won't have to rise." Silver looked at Serenity's beautiful eyes and smiled.

"We better find whatever clues we have here, and then go get your brother and Tallulah and reunite with Zephyr at the hospital. It's best if we keep are all together. When it comes to this, it's always better to be in groups than alone and have the 'You watch my back, I watch yours'... and please put on more of that perfume, I just love it."

* * *

"Oh you mean that guy the Tiger demon dude came in here with." The front desk clerk of the Luca Inn said to Lhinx. "Yeah, I remember him comin' in sometime yesterday. Seemed real jumpy, like he was doin' somethin' wrong."

Both Lhinx and Lucine were now at the Luca Inn and were talking with any personnel that may have clues for them.

"Anyone come in to see him?" The Ronso youth asked.

"Well, now that you mention it, there was this girl who came in askin' for him around early this mornin'. Real cute one, a bit young to be his girlfriend in my opinion, but what do I know? And you know how things are, old guys with money pickin' up young girls. I dunno who's to blame for that, but oh well."

"So she go to his room?"

"Nah, she just waited for him down here and they took off somewhere. I heard somethin' about watching a blitzball game, and then all of this chlorine mess happened."

"What girl look like?"

"Eh, well... She was about 5'1 I'd say, killer body, hazel colored hair, green eyes, and hips like there was no tomorrow. Heheh." The desk clerk looked like he was in a dream, making both the Ronso and Al Bhed give him a dirty look. "Oh, yeah, sorry. She was wearin' a strapless blue top with her hair down, it was wavy and down the middle of her back, a black mini skirt, and a pair of black leather knee high boots, those kind with the really long laces. Didn't look older then you." He pointed at Lucine.

"I didn't hear her name, but I bet she might still be in town." The desk clerk said to the Ronso and Al Bhed.

* * *

Serenity giggled softly and playfully hit Silver. "And what? Distract you with that scent? Never!" She giggled again. "I would, but I left the bottle back in my bag, which is back at the Inn. I guess you're going to have to wait a little while." She winked at him. "And the heart-to-heart chat doesn't seem like such a bad idea. Are you suggesting that maybe one of us was the target because of some sort of past issue? Maybe the talk would help, then."

As the came along Dock 3, Serenity slowed down to a stop and looked around. The docks were pretty quiet, which as odd in itself and this one only had a few people lounging around, making it seem all the more suspicious. "If Yevon's involved we best watch our step. Didn't they throw Lady Yuna in the Via Inferno and left her guardians for dead?" _And mom said they killed a couple…Lenne and Shuyin?_ "It may have been ages ago, and nothing as drastic has happened since, but let's just keep it in mind. It can't hurt."

Putting a hand on her hip, Serenity took a couple steps forward out down the open dock. Closing her eyes, she took in the ocean breeze. It was nice, but everything felt too serene…she was beginning to have a bad feeling something was going to happen.

"Well, whoever recorded that sphere didn't seem to stick around. I hope Lhinx and Lucine had better luck. Can you lock onto the smell now? Or maybe one of these people seen something."

"I don't think this people would like to talk to one such as me," Silver said as he saw how people looked at him. "Yet, I don't think they would like to talk to anyone, something must have happened besides that incident with the chlorine... I can smell fear out of these fellows."

Silver sniffed again and shook his head. "No good, but let's check it a little deeper, maybe there are some leads. I still think Yevon might be after us... I'm a pain for them but the bounty on my head isn't that big... whomever they want they won't get near while I'm around." He turned to Serenity and smiled a little, not wanting to tell her what he was thinking of a while ago for he didn't want to scare her. "Serenity, just stay right beside me. If something happens I'll protect you."

He responded to her previous wink with one of his own and a cocky grin, then continued walking, trying to sniff anything that could lead them to the responsible. "Hey, I wanted to give you this a long time ago but I forgot." Silver searched inside his pocket and took out a clip magazine. It was the same power as the ones his gunblade used but this would fit inside Serenity's gun. "Explosive rounds, as deadly as a bad movie in a stormy weekend, if you know what I mean" he joked, handing her the clip.

But then he felt something more inside his pocket and reached inside to get it... it was the pendant he'd found in Kilika. It was as cold as ice, even when it had been on his cloths for a long time. Silver pull it out of his pocket and showed it to Serenity. "Hey, I forgot I had this too. Remember Kilika? One of the half-fiends was wearing it inside the temple... where it got it I have no idea."

He became silent then, kept his blitzball tight between his arm and hip and looked into Serenity's eyes once again. "But I bet someone would pay good enough for this, at least will get us a few coins if we run out of money."

Serenity smiled slightly when Silver told her to stay beside him, wondering if there was something more behind it, and took the magazine clip, looking at it briefly with a raised eyebrow. "Explosive rounds?" Serenity laughed at his joke, and loaded one of her guns with it. "Thank you. I hope I can handle it."

She looked at the pendant Silver was showing her. "A half-fiend was wearing it in Kilika Temple?" Serenity touched it lightly, but quickly pulled her hand back when she found it was ice cold. "Odd…I hope we don't run out of money soon. Maybe it has some sort of connection with this whole half-fiend phenomenon. I didn't find anything at the temple in Besaid, though. Did you? We'll have to ask the others about that as well."

Warming up her fingers by rubbing them against the fabric of her shirt, Serenity took another look around the dock. "I wonder what else could have happened to make them afraid if you smell fear…Should we leave them be and head back to the others? I don't want to force anyone to talk to us."

"I didn't see anything on the fiend at Besaid... but it may be connected," Silver looked again at the people and kept on walking. "I don't think they are only afraid of me... what worries me is this smell to powder. Could somebody be holding guns around besides you? Better stay alert, Serenity."

Serenity blinked, confused, and continued walking beside Silver. "Anyone can be carrying guns…but if you smell gun powder, someone must have fired recently. And with everything that's been going on…that can't be good." She continued looking around, and caught sight of the man they had talked to at the inn.

He was cowering at the end of the nearest dock surrounded by a stack of crates that were being used as some sort of cover. In front of him stood two guards carrying rifles and a younger girl that wore a strapless top and mini skirt. The man's eyes locked onto Serenity's and he froze. The other three noticed and turned to see what he was staring at. Using that as a distraction, the man took off.

"Silver! Look! It's him again," Serenity said astounded. "I think he's in trouble."

Though it only took a moment for the trio to hear and see him running, that was all he needed for he had a good enough lead on them. The two guards quickly pursued him, and a bigger group of armed guards appeared. The girl stopped and began talking with them, before turning and pointing at Silver and Serenity. The guards began making their way forwards, and the girl put a hand on her hip and smirked before going off to chase the two guards.

Serenity took a step backwards as the guards came closer. Turning her head, she heard more running footsteps coming from behind them. They were going to be ambushed from both sides. "And it looks like we are, too," Serenity added, biting her bottom lip slightly.

Silver looked around, severe expression on his face. They were surrounded by guards with guns. Now they were in deep trouble but still Silver wouldn't let them touch Serenity. "If you all go back to your own business I'll spare your lives... if you don't, I hope you said 'I love you' to your wives and kids."

The armed guards laughed at him and Silver slowly took off his gloves. "I told ya'... Serenity..." He got his head closer to hers "... Shoot the floor with the rounds I gave you." He winked slightly as one of the guards moved closer.

"You two are not to leave this place," he said and readied his gun.

"You talking to a Demon, you loser," Silver replied and grinned, showing off his fangs and drawing his gunblade very fast. "Now, Serenity!"

Serenity looked at Silver when he told her to shoot at the ground with the explosive rounds he gave her. But she threw all hesitations away for she trusted him with all of her being.

"Now, Serenity!"

Serenity pulled out the gun she had loaded with the said rounds and quickly targeted the ground in front of her and began shooting.

An explosion of light and fire could be seen as the bullet touched the ground, blinding all the humans around. "Close your eyes, Serenity!" he shouted as a huge grin appeared on his face and he jumped. The guards, trying to cover themselves from the blinding light, couldn't do anything. Silver threw his blitzball at one of them and cracked his skull. The ball returned to its owner and Silver hit it again and again. At the end, four guards were on the ground, their skulls bleeding badly.

Once he landed, Silver gritted his teeth and started running towards the guards. One slice, two, three. Not mortal wounds, but enough to take them out. When the light was gone, only seven where left.

* * *

Tallulah woke up after a few minutes of slumber. She was tired, she had been healing those who were poisoned for a while and now she was exhausted. She stood up from the bed and walked around a little dizzy.

"What happened... oh yes, the chlorine... my head aches," she whispered to herself, shaking her head a bit. Tallulah looked for her staff and bag and located both on the corner of the very little room where she was. The clinic, Kai and some other guys helped her there along with Silver's cousin. She had rested and then helped to heal those with the worst injuries. But... where were Silver and that other girl? Where were Lucine, Lhinx and Zephyr? Where was Kai? She couldn't think, her head was spinning and she again collapsed on the bed, trying to remember.

* * *

Serenity closed her eyes as quickly as she could when Silver had shouted, though she was blinded momentarily. She could hear grunts escaping the guards as they were hit and felt bodies falling all around them. When the light finally died out, Serenity slowly opened her eyes, still finding them a bit sensitive, and found that only seven remained. Glancing around, she found most of them bleeding profusely.

Grabbing a hold of her other gun, Serenity watched as the ones left eventually came around themselves. Though she knew Silver could have taken care of them as easily as he did the others, Serenity wouldn't just leave it all to him, especially if they all were going to end up like the ones on the ground. She really didn't want to use those explosive rounds so soon again. And she had to chase after the others that had left as well.

"Silver, I have to go after them," Serenity informed Silver, and shot at guards' feet with her non-explosive rounds to catch their attention. Nodding reassuringly at Silver, Serenity turned and began running in the direction that she saw the rest go.

"After her!" Commanded the apparent leader of the group, and three of the seven followed close behind her, then other four staying behind to take Silver on. Looking back as she ran, Serenity raised a gun and closed one eye, targeting as close as she could at the ground nearest to the guards around Silver. The three guards chasing her quickly spread out of the way, giving her a clear shot. Pulling the trigger, Serenity let loose another explosive bullet in hopes of helping Silver in his fight, for she had left him with quite a bit to deal with, and faced forward again running with all her might.

Silver closed his eyes for a second as the bullet exploded and another light appeared. Quickly he ran and took the first one on his way. He sliced his arm and kicked him, sending him to fly a few meters. The second one was a slash on the chest; same for the third and finally the fourth one was only a broken face by Silver's fist.

"Now to get my lady," he told himself and took off running as fast as he could, so fast most humans only saw a black flash running next to them. Yet, the guys that went after Serenity and the other guards that had left before where far away by now. But still he could hear them, and knew he was going to get to the three that went after his girlfriend got even close to her.

Serenity flinched and brought her hands to her ears as another shot went past her and hit the ground in front of her, causing rubble to fly up in the air. She had to move to the side to avoid getting hit by the debris or trip in the hole that it left in the ground. Looking back at her non-relenting pursuers, she noticed the entire walkway littered with holes from their shooting. Closing her eyes tightly, Serenity turned her head forwards as another shot whirled past again, glad that the streets of Luca were relatively empty. It made it easier for her to run and it ensured no one would get hurt in the crossfire.

"You guys _do_ know who we're shooting at, don't you?"  
One of the guards laughed, amused. "Yeah. Makes it all the more fun chasing her."  
"Just don't damage the goods, you hear?"

Serenity continued to run, unable to do much else. She wasn't sure which way the others had gone, but ran towards the exit of Luca. She soon came across the circular-shaped square with the fountain the middle, and the people sitting on the benches screamed as they came crashing through, running for refuge in the Luca Café. As she started up the first flight of stairs, and explosion behind her caused her to trip on a step and fall harshly.

Coughing from the smoke, Serenity slowly, and with ache, sat up, but couldn't see anything but black smoke all around. _A dark grenade?_ Serenity groaned as she came to her feet, clutching her ribs. Hearing the guards hastily approaching, Serenity climbed the rest of the stairs blindly.

"Dump him and let's move. He's no longer any use to us," the girl from earlier said. The three were standing in at the base of the stairs that lead to the Highroad. Turning their heads towards the commotion that was coming, the guards dropped the man as they were lifting him up to throw him over the balcony and ran to cut Serenity off.

The effects of the grenade finally wearing off, Serenity's eyes widened at the sight of two more guards making her way towards her. Pulling a card out from her pocket, she threw it high into the air and climbed upon a bench. Stepping up onto the railing, the card stopped twirling in the air in which it was thrown and glowed, causing a summoning circle to appear beneath Serenity's feet as she stood balanced on the railing. Four of the now five guards froze at the sight and Serenity jumped up into the air and forward, bowing her head back as she began flipping backwards, holding her arms out and pointing her guns away from her.

One of guards, however, was unfazed and threw up a sleep grenade. Serenity let out a cry as she got hit by the blast, and lost the battle to keep awake, going into a forced slumber. She now fell aimlessly down towards a watery grave. The clouds above parted into a swirl as something shot downward and flew in a curved ˜L". Swooping down below Serenity, Valefor's wings glided above the water as he caught the unconscious girl on his back, the tips of his wings submerging underwater from the brace of it.

The guards, now accompanied by a few spectators, gasped and looked over the edge of the railing.

"What do we do now?"  
"Are we to jump in after her?"  
"After all the trouble we've just been through because of her, we better do something."  
"What of that demon she was with?"  
"With any luck the others have disposed of him."

"You wish," Silver muttered under his breath as, in the distance, he heard one of the guards talking about his comrades having disposed of him. He was getting close, a sudden new scent on the air made him wonder if Serenity was all right. This was something new to him; the smell was like wind over the Calm Lands. Refreshing and still... frightening. "I'm coming, Serenity!"

Silver made an effort to run faster, no longer feeling his feet under him for they were moving at such speed that human legs would've already have a destroyed muscle. Finally, he got to the square just to see a huge bird-like creature fly. There were many guards around, and the Demon couldn't see Serenity around. A sudden rage took control of him, and Silver fought Wolfe trying to not let him out.

_No! I can fight this! _

_You idiot! They've done something to Serenity! _

_We don't know just yet, but if they do I'll let you come out and tear them into pieces if you like! _

_Back off, Silver, I'm going out now! I'm feasting on their flesh and blood... if something has happened to Serenity I will not rest until I kill the last human, onto the very last child! _

_Don't be stupid! Calm and I'll fix it, I'll fight them... remember Mother... she was a human... and she loved Father. Neither of them would want us to be like that... _

_My physical body died when I was born, but you keep me here, I am still alive and I can fight! _

_Not this time, brother. You back off and let me handle this... I promise, if something happened to Serenity, I'll give you my body completely to do what you please with it... _

_Deal... _

Silver's eyes turned back to the obsidian black they normally were, but his face kept the rage expression on it. A powerful roar could be heard once again, and the Demon ran in furious rampage towards the guards. One of them grinned and aimed his gun towards the upcoming Silver, then pulled the trigger and three bullets where shot. One touched his shoulder, but Silver didn't feel it. He threw his blitzball towards the one that shoot the rifle and his face was smashed in just a second.

The guard fell and the ball returned to Silver. Four guards now stood completely froze. "What have you done to Serenity? Tell me or I'll butch you like cattle... you will ask for dead before I'm done with you!"

_Or better say, when Wolfe is done with you... _

_You got that right, Silver..._

"Answer me worthless scum!" he yelled.

"Why would I answer to someone such as you?" one of the guards asked, trying to sound arrogant even when his voice was filled with fear.

"If you wanna live you'll tell me... if you're a suicide crazy maniac then stay silent" Silver replied, tightening the grip he had on the hilt of his gunblade "Where is Lady Serenity?"

Silver's question was answered by the screech of the bird-like creature and the fresh scent to forest wind.

Valefor screeched, and flapped his wings lightly as to not bump Serenity off, rising in the air till it was above the railing of which she had jumped off from. Unable to land properly or attack for Serenity would slide off, Valefor rose higher into the air, unsure of where else to go. One of Serenity's guns fell from her loose grip, and landed with a clatter beside Silver, the other safe between her stomach and the hand that held it there in place. With another screech, Valefor lowered itself 'till he was parallel with the railing, floating there until someone would lift Serenity off its back.

The small crowd that had gathered looked from the Aeon with Serenity to the demon to the armed guards, they themselves too afraid to move in case they were to be attacked by either of them. So that left either the guards or Silver to claim the unconscious High Summoner's daughter, and with it being four to one, wasn't looking too good.

"Get the girl!" the arrogant man called and two of them ran towards Valefor and unconscious Serenity. Their mistake. Silver threw the blitzball pretty hard and them, it hit the stomach of the first one and pushed him back, falling on top of the other. He made a long jump and landed just inches away from the Aeon.

"Serenity... wake up." Silver took the girl and rose the upper part of her body, still not lifting her off Valefor "Serenity, it's me. You are safe now..."

He leaned his head lower and placed a soft kiss on her lips, kiss that was forced apart by a shooting rifle that almost hit him. Silver looked at the attacker, forgetting the surprised feeling he got when he noticed the Aeon didn't fly away. "Look after her for a little more" he asked the Aeon and jumped again, landing on top of the guard, smashing his head against the ground.

"Only one to go," he said, almost laughing as he glared at the arrogant guard. Silver made a wrist movement and his gunblade span. The guard, shaking from toe to head, looked in horror as the Demon got closer to him and with one slash put him out of his misery.

_What... happened! I never let Wolfe out! Then why was I so... cold-blooded! _

_Because the two of us are Demons, Tiger Demons. And you are the wildest of all for you share the same body with the soul of your twin. Silver, I may be your evil side, your heartless cold-blooded part, but you still got much of a Demon yourself inside your own soul. _

_So... am I just like you? _

_No, you are more human, but still you are a Demon. Why are you so worried? You've killed before and never said a word about it... _

_I know... but never like this... the only time I was like this was... _

_The priest that called Mother a slut... _

_That was me... that wasn't Wolfe, that was me! _

_Because you actually got to know our mother. I was never awake when you were with her. Everything was so peaceful then... _

_And when she left... the key to my feelings was lost... _

_Until now... Serenity is just like Mother. Kind, beautiful, loving... she is the new key. That is why you feel regret when you kill. It never happened since Mother died until now, not even when you were with Tallulah... the human side of you is awake once again... _

_Why didn't Tallulah awoke my human side? _

_Because she wasn't The One... brother, like I said I may be evil, but still I am your brother. Save the killing for me and keep the loving, caring Silver Fang for yourself... _

_Shut up!_

The crowd was terrified as Silver walked up to where Valefor waited, grim expression on his face. He looked down at the floor and saw Serenity's gun, he picked it up and caught up with the Aeon. "Thank you," he said and lifted Serenity of its back.

_It's…so dark…I'm afraid. Silver…are you here? _

_"Serenity...wake up."_

_That voice. It echoes within me…It sounds so familiar…But...is it you? _

_"Serenity, it's me. You are safe now…" _

_Silver? Silver…it is you. I'm…so happy._

Serenity's hand that was on top of her gun made the most faintest movement as Silver kissed her, like it was helping in awaking her from her forced slumber, though it was so slight it was unnoticeable. It was some time before she felt herself in someone's arms, and Serenity quivered meagerly as if trying to wake herself up, using the person's aura to help subconsciously.

Valefor screeched again as Silver thanked him, and landed properly now beside him, nipping at the side of Serenity's head softly with its beak to try and wake her up. With that, the winged-beast soared back up into the air, disappearing into the clouds, dismissing itself. Soon after that, the card Serenity had thrown into the air dropped down from the sky and landed in front of Silver. It was embedded into the ground as if it was a sword, light smoke lifting from the sides of it as if it was on fire and was just put out.

"Serenity, please wake up. Please, I need you Serenity," Silver kissed her nose and cheek, trying to wake here. Most people around were watching in fear, not being able to believe a Demon was actually with Lady Serenity, daughter of High Summoner Yuna and Grand Guardian Tidus. He could hear some muttering things like 'That monster has Lady Serenity' or 'Get away from her you scum!'. But Silver didn't care, he just wanted Serenity to open her eyes and see her smile again.

Then, he suddenly saw the card falling and moved an inch aside. "This... this is what brought that Aeon? It is... just like the one I have..." Silver knelt and took it, supporting Serenity against his chest "Serenity, wake up. I'm here, no one will hurt you now."

"_Serenity, please wake up. Please, I need you Serenity." _

_…And I need you._

Serenity shivered and let out a tiny gasp, closing her already closed eyes even tighter. Coming back into consciousness, she felt pain everywhere.

"Serenity, wake up. I'm here, no one will hurt you now."

Serenity nestled her head against Silver's chest and slowly opened her eyes, blinking them a few times for the sunlight was too bright at first. "Silver," she whispered, burying her head deeper. It felt so good to be in his arms. "I was…so afraid."

"It's ok now. Try and rest a little, we both need it," Silver said, sitting on the edge of the railing and placing Serenity on his lap, still holding her "Those guards are gone now, all we have to take care off is that girl. I got her scent, she won't get away."

"Leave Lady Serenity alone you monster!" a huge man in sailor clothing demanded. "Take your unworthy hands off of her!"

"Yeah! Let her go! You'll have to kill us all to get her!" another one yelled.

"Don't give me ideas" Silver mocked, disgusted. The humans always treated him like a monster without questioning why he did what he did. They only saw a Demon hurting other humans, yes but then whenever humans are in danger cry and beg for someone to help them. And for sure a Demon was the most unwelcomed hero of all.

"You can't take us all out, stupid beast," the sailor said. "We are far too many for you!"

"I can take you all out, human, but I won't," Silver's cold voice appeared once again, though his eyes were still as black as always. He stood up again with Serenity in his arms, lifting her properly along with the blitzball which he trapped between his lower back and his tail "Now, let us go."

"You won't go anywhere!" the sailor ran towards him, raising his considerable big fist and ready to strike. Silver just sighed and waited, just when the sailor got to him he jumped. The sailor wasn't able to stop, and then Silver just kicked to back of his head from the air, pushing himself to jump farther away as the sailor hit the ground.

"Monster!" a woman cried.

"It's called agility, miss," Silver shot back, almost with a sarcastic voice "I'm sorry about that, Serenity. Let's go get your wounds healed."

Serenity nodded slowly then hanged her head forward as she put her hands behind her neck and flipped her head back, flipping her hair back with her hands as she did this. Closing her eyes, Serenity swayed a bit, blinking her eyes open again. "Just…one moment," Serenity said to Silver and squeezed his hand lightly.

Serenity gradually made her way over to the fallen sailor, and kneeled down beside him as he sat back up with a groan. "M'lady," the sailor said with some difficulty, and Serenity looked through her pockets and handed him a Potion.

"Please…" Serenity trailed off as she looked about the anxious crowd, "Everyone…No more fighting."

"But-but, m'lady…" another man started, but stopped abruptly as Serenity stood up.

"…I wish you all a safe and happy voyage, wherever you are going," Serenity said, not wanting to hear anymore about what a monster Silver was, and she bowed. The crowd promptly bowed back, and Serenity turned and walked back to Silver, holding onto his arm from support. "Let us go," she said, and started walking. The crowd began murmuring amongst themselves again as they walked off.

"That Lady Serenity…so very kind, just like her mother."

"But why would she grant an audience with the likes of that-that _thing_?"  
"Perhaps she is too naive to see that demon for what he really is."  
"I bet he has thy lady under some sort of spell."

Hearing none of this, Serenity looked up at Silver worriedly as they went down the stairs. "Are…you okay?" She asked softly. Serenity asked partly because of all the fights he had fought, but also because of his behavior back there. It seemed like it was his other self again, but he didn't seem to change.

"Don't worry, I'm ok. Just had a few rounds with my twin. I'm... very sorry about that, but when I get angry... I become another person as you've already seen. But not just when Wolfe comes out. There are times when I myself become a rather fearsome... beast." Silver looked down at his feet, holding Serenity's waist and arm.

"I... I try to control myself when it comes to humans. Something Wolfe does not. Maechen told me that while there are two mixed personalities inside of me, there is a third one that consists in the mix of this two. I think that is the one that comes out when humans call me a monster just by seeing my ears and tail." He felt the great burden of regret now, about killing those persons, about letting Serenity see his enraged self, about letting himself being controlled by his feelings.

Silver sighed again, then smiled a little. "But... I know there is something I can do about it. Tallulah offered it to me back then... the Spell of the Souls. I think your mother is the one that did it for first time. A spell to mix two different souls into one. The problem is... I don't know if I want to become one with Wolfe. So far I've been able to keep him from killing innocent people, but he hates all humans save for Mom, may she rest in peace. If I become one with him... I may be more aggressive... but still it would be my body and most of my soul."

He stopped dry and looked deep into her eyes. "What should I do Serenity? I... I don't wanna let Wolfe free ever again. I am and will always be a Tiger Demon, and I have my wild side on the edge of a knife. My human side is stronger, but if I mix myself with Wolfe let's say it would be a fifty/fifty. Tallulah can explain all that stuff better than me..."

_But she cannot cast the Spell on me... _

_Why do you want the Spell? Aren't we ok together? _

_We would be better mixed into one. For example no more brother-brother chat, we would both know... _

_I'm ok with it, I would be able to fight more often... _

_And you wouldn't be as wild as you are right now... unless Tallulah casts the Spell. Much of the personality of the person who casts the Spell would be inside of me too... _

_Which means I would be wearing thong and being a bitch every time I saw Serenity! _

_No, idiot! Which means I would be a time bomb as we both know Tallulah is... _

_Ok then, what if Serenity is the one that casts the Spell? _

_I think... that's the best idea, Maechen told Tallulah and me that the best way to cast that Spell is if someone you love is the one that casts it. That's why Tallulah offered it to me... but she was different back then. She was a lot like Serenity... _

_Yeah, she wasn't a bitch back then. Although she already liked to wear that thong... _

_Watch your tongue now... If Serenity casts the Spell... _

_We would become one without losing your humanity... and I would fight... _

_Wanna try? _

_Let's do it, Tiger!_

For first time in a long while, Silver felt a complete mixing of ideas inside of him. It felt as if a flow of both happiness and relief took over his tired body. He smiled suddenly wider at Serenity and kissed her nose. "...If we can get Tallulah to explain how does it work exactly, then you could cast it on me... and so it would be just like Wolfe was just gone. I would be myself... no longer rage attacks. And the most important thing... a part of you would always live inside of me... that is... if you would like to cast it..."

Serenity tilted her head to the side, looking at Silver from an angle. She looked at him with concern at first as he talked about his anxiety regarding the Spell of the Souls. But after he was silent for some time, Silver seemed to cheer up, liking the idea more, and Serenity smiled back brightly and nodded. "Yes, of course. If this is what you really want to do, I'd love to be the one to cast it."

_If mother cast this spell first, it must work, right? Maybe…it could be a key to the half-fiends…Silver said it was a spell to combine two different souls into one._

She giggled happily and hugged Silver tightly. "I knew there was a way," Serenity whispered, more to herself. She pulled back, smiling at Silver again before continuing their way back to the hospital, hoping the others made their way there as they said they would meet to go to the stadium together. "If…I may ask," Serenity said, a thought coming to mind, "Why wasn't this Spell cast before, when you were with Tallulah?"

"_Io sono prigionero,_" Silver simply said. "Means, 'I am a prisoner'. Back then, I was afraid. Tallulah offered it to me... but I didn't accept. I was almost a different person, I had such hatred against humans that looked up at me as a monster, and I didn't care whether Wolfe would go out and feast on them. Everything because of a stupid Yevon priest that called my mom a slut on the same day of her funeral... he called her that because she fell in love with my dad and I was born... I just re-arranged his body, put his arms instead of legs and legs instead of arms along with some more new organization."

Silver looked down, then hugged Serenity closer to him. "But then... after Tallulah dumped me... I traveled all around Spira once again along with Maechen. He... told me so many things that changed my way of thinking. And then... an angel came into my world... and _Io sono prigionero_ of her love. You know very well who that angel is." He laughed softly, and suddenly lifted her again. "Though I didn't know she had wings until today, when I saw that huge bird that came to save her."

"So that's why you hate Yevon…" Serenity said quietly, and shuddered involuntarily at the image she was getting of a mangled body, closing her eyes as Silver hugged her closer to him. Serenity laughed in surprise as he carried her again, and she put an arm around his neck gently, resting her head on his chest once again. "Well, I'm glad you're not afraid to use the Spell now. Maybe I can meet this Maechen sometime." She blushed at the fact that Silver thought her to be an angel.

"Huge bird?" Serenity repeated, having a moment of memory loss. "Oh!" She exclaimed suddenly, remembering that she did summon something before she passed out. "Valefor…didn't hurt anyone, I hope?" Serenity shook her head slightly. "What…was going on back there? Why did they attack us? I hope Lhinx and Lucine found something out. And I wonder where the others are…" Serenity closed her eyes tiredly. They still had so much to do. "My head hurts," Serenity said gently.

"No, it was a good boy. It didn't hurt anyone. Those guys were connected to the chlorine attack. And that girl... I can't stop thinking she is somehow real deep into what happened to us. Maybe some crazy lover of the guy that set all this up, you know how things like that can happen." Silver kisses Serenity's forehead as he heard her head hurt and smiled. "We'll get your wounds healed in no time... just need to smell Tallulah's lavender perfume. It may be terrifying she is wearing... that thing but it's handy if you are trying to find her" he joked.

Silver sniffed the air. "No good, I can only smell blood around here. Let's go back to the inn first and find Lucine and Lhinx. Then we can find your brother and Tallulah to help us with the Spell." His voice was shaky when he mentioned Tallulah and the Spell, thinking how his ex-girlfriend would react when he told her he needed her to teach Serenity how to use the Spell Silver didn't want a long time ago.

Serenity nodded, too drained to read too much into Silver's shaky voice. "I think I can walk," Serenity said, though she really didn't feel up to it. But, she didn't want Silver to carry her all the way to the Inn, either. He must be just as exhausted, and Serenity would have to be strong, too. She just hoped the inn was near so they didn't have to walk for much longer. "Blood? People…are dead?"

Silver looked at her with a grim face and nodded. "Two... I tried to go easy on the... but those two were a pain. The rest will live, I'm positive," he said, regret marked in his voice. "And no, you can't walk. You got to rest right now. Don't worry, you are as light as a feather, I think my blitzball is heavier than you." The joke was supposed to break the tension, though Silver didn't laugh, only a puppy-like smile crossed his face.

Serenity smiled sadly at his joke, and kissed him lightly on the cheek in hopes of cheering him up. "It's alright, Silver…we should send them before they become fiends, and attack Luca. I think the city's had enough excitement for one day. And if I rest, I don't think I'd ever be able to get up again. Besides, we have things to do…I can't stop to rest. It'll…hold everything up…" Serenity said, though she knew he was right, and hoped they reached the inn soon.

"Tallulah can send them, it's part of her job. And you got to rest, even if I have to carry you till Djose you have to rest." Silver kissed her nose softly, smiling. "Just let everything to me, ok? Then... I'll cook something real nice for you. You just need to regain your strength."

He smiled again and looked up... surprised how soon they got to the inn. There he could hear Lucine's and Lhinx voices and walked a little faster, waking inside still with Serenity in arms. "We've got serious problems, they tried to murder us back at the square." Silver walked closer to Lhinx and placed the girl in the Ronso's arms. "May I ask you to take her to the room we've got here and look after her? I'll go get Tallulah and Kai... we are better if we stick together now. Then I'll take Tallulah to the hospital, she will be able to heal Zephyr and I can carry her here even if she's asleep."


	33. Missing Ronso? The New Lhinx

**Missing Ronso? The New Lhinx**

Tallulah stood up and walked towards her bag. There she found her lovely kimono, the clothing she liked the most. Making sure nobody could see inside the room, she took it out of the bag along with a bra and pink panties. Tallulah tossed this on the bed and got undressed, her body a little marked from the tight, skimpy suit she was wearing. Being naked for a minute she relaxed, stretched and yawned, then put her clothes on. Once dressed, she took her staff and walked out of the room. Most people were now gone to rest, just but a few remained— those were the ones she had to heal now. However, a doctor suddenly ran up to her.

"Lady Tallulah!" he said, trying to catch his breath. "A Demon attacked some Yevon guards! Most of them are badly injured, and two are dead! Please, we need you to Send the goners and heal those who still have a chance."

"A Demon? Don't tell me it was a Tiger Demon...," she said, surprised, suddenly taken aback by fear.

"Yes! The Yevon Guard Captain in Luca says that this Demon wanted to kidnap Lady Serenity and the guards just were trying to protect her!"

"Lies! This Demon is my friend, and Lady Serenity is with him!" Tallulah found herself quite surprised as she was defending both Silver and Serenity... accepting they were together... but only for now. Silver belonged to her and not even Lady Yuna's daughter would take him away from her.

"That can't be!" the doctor replied and Tallulah had to suppress the impulse of smacking him with her staff.

"The Yevonites surely attacked him first! In fact, I believe Yevon is, for some reason, behind the chlorine spill too! Don't go blaming my friend for that!"

"Arrest her!" a creepy voice from behind commanded. "Lady Tallulah is a traitor to Yevon and together with the Demon!"

Tallulah's eyes widened as the butt of a rifle smacked her on the back of her head, and she fell into slumber once again.

* * *

Lhinx nodded to Silver and began the trek up the stairs toward the room Silver had specified. As they left the lobby, Lhinx noticed two men eyeing her, a bald fishermen and a rather skinny man.

(What's their problem?) Lhinx wondered. She shook it off and made it to the room, laying Serenity down gently. (You were attacked concerning the chlorine incident,) Lhinx thought.

"What attackers look like?" Lhinx asked Serenity.

* * *

"Now's our chance. The Ronso's practically alone," the bald fisherman said in a low voice with a rather broad grin.

"Yeah, and with this little baby she'll be easy to take down," the thinner of the two said while holding up a device that looked much like a dog whistle.

"What does it do?" the bald man asked.

"I just blow it and it makes a very high pitched noise. Humans can't hear it, but creatures with exceptional hearing can. It's rather loud and is able to bring even the mightiest Ronso warrior to its knees." The skinny man twiddled it in his bony fingers. "Got it in Guadosalam. Said it was used by a wandering Guado to ward off any Ronso who attacked back in the days of Vegnagun."

"Ha ha, brilliant." The bald man clapped his companion on the back. "Now let's go." The two began up the stairs, when a female worker carrying a bundle of towels stood in front of them.

"And just what are you two doing?" the woman asked.

"Oh, we saw Lady Serenity injured and wished to give her our regards. Might you know where her room is?" the skinny man asked.

"Oh, why certainly." The woman gave the two the room number. "Please wish her well for me."

"Of course, and thank you very much, madam," the bald man said and the two walked up quite casually.

* * *

Serenity let out a sigh of relief as Lhinx laid her down, her body thoroughly ecstatic to be able to relax, especially against something so soft. However, that was short-lived as Serenity sat up with a groan. She held onto the side of her head as if she had a headache— which wasn't completely false, however, it was because she was trying to remember.

"Guards…lots of armed guards…" Serenity narrowed her eyes slightly, thinking harder. "There was this girl, too…with a tube top and skirt…She looked young, too. I wonder why she was with them. The man we saw earlier, the one who spilled the chlorine…he was there also. But…I think they were after him. I…don't know if he is still alive."

Serenity looked up at Lhinx somewhat hopefully, before plopping back down, completely exhausted. "That's all I can remember. All this gave us was injuries and more questions…Did you guys learn anything?"

* * *

Silver smiled at Lhinx and walked out of the inn. He sure felt tired, but he wouldn't complain about it. It wasn't the time for one like him to rest; after all, he wasn't a human and he was a lot stronger than they were. He suddenly found himself running, the desire to get the entire group safe and sound at the inn making his weary legs move faster.

_And the desire to finally be free... _

_You talking for the two of us, partner..._

As he got closer, he encountered a large crew of people reunited near the clinic, most of them yelling in angry voices at someone.

"Let her go!" one shouted.

"She is innocent! Leave her alone!" another one added.

"Quiet! In the name of Yevon, this woman must be punished. She joined with a criminal, a Tiger Demon that killed two loyal guards and injured a lot more. May Yevon bless the souls of those who died and punish this evil creature of the dark..." The voice gave him the chills. The kind of voice a maniac has when trying to act like an honorable person.

"Lady Tallulah wouldn't do anything like that!" a woman yelled.

"Tallulah?" Silver said, without noticing. Suddenly the people turned around and faced him and a powerful smell of fear suddenly appeared at the time the blood was drained from the human faces, all of them getting too scared. As he walked, the crew moved out of his way and suddenly left him face to face with the Captain of Yevon Guard in Luca and a tied up, unconscious Tallulah being pulled like a dog on the ground.

"How dare you... bastard!" Silver said, drawing his gunblade. "How dare you treat Tallulah like that! You're going to beg me to kill you before I'm done with you!"

_No...Wait, Wolfe, we can't go berserk now! There are far too many innocent people now... think! _

_I care not! Look how they are treating Tallulah! _

_Wait and let me handle this, either way this bastard won't leave this place alive... _

_I trust you..._

"Take aim!" the Captain called and the guards behind him aimed their rifles at Silver. "Fire!"

Before the guards could even pull the triggers, Silver jumped high in the air, landing on the one that was pulling Tallulah's unconscious body, his head being smashed like an egg on the ground. "You're all paying big time for this!"

Tallulah's consciousness came back very slowly as she heard screaming and shots. On top of that, she could hear a familiar voice standing next to her.

"Silver..." she muttered, weak and still not fully awake. "No...Not again..."

She was almost sure Silver was taken by the rage once again. That day was just one of the worst she had ever had. First the gas spill and now this— not to mention whatever had happened between Silver, Serenity, and the guards from before— those were the reasons they wanted him.

Tallulah considered it for a second. A trap. She was just acting as bait. That captain was a real mad man, but he sure was full of himself if he thought he could beat a Tiger Demon so easy— especially a Tiger Demon like the Silver she knew... or perhaps even Wolfe.

Silver knelt down as he heard Tallulah's weak voice. "Tallulah, it's me, you got nothing to worry about now," he said calmly, even confident. The guards took their chance to aim once again, and again Silver jumped, surprising all of them. Not being able to get a clean target since the Demon jumped in direction to the sunlight, the guards closed their eyes and looked away.

Silver's best way to fight was blinding enemies. If he could blind them, no matter how many there were, he could beat them. But this time there were too many, not to mention Tallulah was just below him.

_Time to use 'that', don't you think? _

_What? The card? _

_The Summon Card to be exact— Diablos will take care of those guys... _

_Diablos is as wild as you are, Wolfe, if not even worse! He is a pure Dark Aeon! Nothing like that Valefor bird... _

_Then you'd rather have them kill both Tallulah and you. If you won't let me out, then take Diablos out! You can control that beast better than you can control me... _

_You got that right... I won't let them hurt Tallulah!_

Silver put a hand inside of his vest, just over his heart, which was on the right side, different from human bodies. He took out a black card, one he had found in a simple walk inside of Lady Yunalesca's chamber long ago and which he kept secret from most people.

"Eternal Darkness, come forth!" he called, chanting the spell to release the Dark Aeon from the card. Right after that, he threw the card in the air and the sky turned to black. Silver landed on his feet, taking the chance to attend to Tallulah while the guards were worried about what was coming next. They would know soon enough, as the card began to shine with a red light, and Diablos, the Dark Aeon, appeared.

* * *

"Man who spill chlorine seen with girl who look like that. Clerk say that. She seem suspicious when Lhinx heard about her, now it make sense," Lhinx said. Lhinx's ear went to the door as she heard two sets of feet walking toward the room door. The sound stopped and a knocking sound followed. Lhinx began to open the door, but something within her in the dark recesses of her animal mind told her not to open the door.

(Instinct...I shouldn't ignore this...but...)

The knocking came again, a bit quicker and harder in rhythm, but it couldn't be noticed unless one just sat down and thought about both sounds.

"Hello, is anyone in there?" a man's voice came through muffled by the door.

Lhinx could barely hear a deep huff of air come from the other side of the door, one that would be from rather frustrated individual. Outside the door, the bald man took three paces away from the door and signaled his companion to do the same. "They have to be in there. I heard the girl talking to the Ronso," the bald man whispered.

"Yeah, but they won't let us in. That Ronso musta heard us," the skinny man whispered back.

"Alright then, we bust in and-"

"No! Are you insane?" the skinny man said through his teeth.

"Then what do you suggest?" the bald man sounded angry now.

"They have to come out some time. We'll wait for the beast near the entrance to the Mi-ihen Highroad."

"But the Tiger demon and the other ones traveling with the Ronso..." The skinny man held up a small cartridge with an Al Bhed symbol on the side.

"An Al Bhed flash bomb," the bald man said in near awe.

"Mm hmm. Throw it on the ground, it'll flash, then we use this little baby and get the Ronso." The skinny man held up the Ronso whistle he had mentioned earlier.

During this, a man covered in Yevon symbols watched from the foot of the stairs.

* * *

Scared people just ran away as fast as they could when Diablos descended and stood next to Silver. "Get the Yevon guards!" Silver ordered and Diablos nodded, an evil smile on its fearsome face. The once arrogant captain now stood frozen in fear as the dark Aeon walked towards him.

"F-f-f-f-fire!" he ordered to the few guards that hadn't already flee in panic. Another round of bullets was shot, but even before they could touch Diablos they stopped and fell on the ground. The dark Aeon controlled gravity, a really powerful force, and bullets were no match for it. Diablos raised an arm and the captain began floating in the air, then went much higher suddenly, screaming in complete panic.

"Now let him down," Silver said and the Aeon nodded again, moving his arm down. The scared man fell free towards the ground an enraged Silver Fang jumped to meet him on the air, slicing him as he fell. The two pieces of dead meat that once were the captain of Yevon Guard in Luca fell hard on the floor and Diablos was dismissed.

"Are you ok, Tallulah?" Silver asked, turning towards the girl and kneeling right beside her. Now this battle had gotten him even more tired than he already was. He smiled kindly at Tallulah, and slashed off the ropes that kept her tied. "I'll just take you to the inn, Lucine's gone to find Kai I think, and Serenity is with Lhinx inside a room. Better if we stick together for now."

* * *

Serenity propped herself back up, using her arms as stands behind her. She watched as Lhinx suddenly moved to the door and put her ear against it, like she had heard something. She was about to ask what Lhinx was doing when someone knocked on the door. But then Lhinx didn't open the door as the person called and knocked louder and faster, and Serenity tilted her head and stood up, walking over to her. "Lhinx…is something wrong?" Serenity asked, somewhat concerned.

"Ronso instinct. Whoever on other side of door dangerous, but gone now." Lhinx said. (Who knocked, and why'd they give up so soon?) Lhinx wondered. She wrapped her paw like hand around the seemingly smaller doorknob. (Two people, normal build... I dunno whether or not it will be safe to open the door or not... I'm not freaking out like I was before when they began to knock. I guess I'm okay.)

Lhinx slowly opened the door and poked her head out. She sniffed the air in the immediate vicinity of the entrance and looked around. The two men from earlier were long gone. (Someone was here. But why'd they leave? Reasoning would tell anyone we were in the room. I guess they decided to not bother. Awe well. No used worrying over it.)

Lhinx felt the hair on the back of her neck stand. She rubbed her hand down on it to smooth it out. (There it is again. That feeling like something's after me. What on Earth is goin' on?) Lhinx wondered.

Serenity lightly went on her tippy-toes to look out the door as Lhinx eventually opened it, but couldn't see past the tall Ronso. Lowering back down flat on her foot, Serenity clasped her hands behind her and tilted her head slightly once again. "Oh…well, if they were really of much danger, I suppose they would have broken the door down, hm?" Serenity said hopefully, trying to cheer Lhinx up for she still looked quite shaken. Turning back around, Serenity grabbed her bag and reached for Silver's as well, though was already finding the weight more than she could handle.

"Let's wait downstairs, then, in the open lobby. Then when Silver comes back with the others we'll all go to the stadium and then head for the Highroad. I think we've overstayed our welcome in Luca. It's time we moved on, anyway, right?"

* * *

"Silver... you came for me... oh, Silver!" Tallulah embraced him by the neck and sank her face in his chest. "Silver I thought they were going to kill me...And I bet they still want to. We have to leave Luca as soon as possible." Tears crawled down her cheek as she faced the Demon and suddenly she placed a kiss on his lips, pressing herself against his body.

He froze, feeling Tallulah's familiar lips on his own. His whole body began shaking and Silver fought the urge to return the kiss.

_Maybe we should've let her get killed, she will be a pain in the tail until either she gets you back or gets killed in the process... _

_Yeah... I know... this is no good... _

_No shit, bro. Better not let your girlfriend watch you kissing your ex or we both are as good as dead... _

_You got your point..._

Silver pulled away, breaking both the kiss and the hug with one movement. "Tallulah!" he began looking deep into her green eyes. "Why did you do that? Listen, whatever happened between you and me is in the past. You decided to dump me for another guy... you hurt me, and now you won't let me be happy? I love Serenity... Tallulah please understand that..." He sighed and stood up, then put his gun blade away and with another movement, he took Tallulah by the kimono bow and lifted her, placing the girl on his shoulder. He knelt once more to grab her staff and bag, and then began walking back to the hotel. "This conversation isn't over yet, but first we need to get out of Luca."

A crystal tear rolled down her cheek as Silver lifted her on his shoulder. In other times, he would've lifter her in his arms, in a soft, warm embrace. He was so true, she had hurt him bad even when she didn't mean to. But then, it wasn't fair that when she gave him her virginity, her pureness, he now didn't want her back. A womanizer... no, Silver wasn't anything like that, but still Tallulah would do her very best to get him back.

One way or another.

* * *

Lucine wandered around the Inn's lobby downstairs. _Okay, let me see if I can get everything straight..._ She thought to herself, pacing the floor. _Lhinx is with Serenity upstairs. Silver went after Tallulah, Zephyr was still in the hospital, and Kai is still missing... _This reminded her..."Ah! I'm supposed to be looking for Kai!" But the truth was, she had no idea where to start. He could be anywhere, and with the Yevonites crawling around Luca, she thought it might be better to stay close to Lhinx and Serenity.

As she was wandering around, she noticed there was a man covered in Yevon symbols, standing at the foot of the stairs. Lucine quickly dashed across the room and ducked behind a near-by chair to get a better look. Up the stairs, she could see two other men standing near a door. She wasn't sure if it was the room where Lhinx and Serenity were, but she had a bad feeling. She tried to listen to their conversation, but all she heard was mumbling. Then something caught her eye. One of the men had just pulled out an Al Bhed flash bomb. "This is definitely not good..." While Lucine was debating whether or not to attack the three guys, they came down the stairs and walked out the door. As soon as they were out of sight, Lucine hurried up the stairs and knocked on the door the men were standing in front of.

* * *

As they got to the inn, Silver looked around just to make sure there were no more guards around and he walked inside, then upstairs without ever looking at the innkeeper. He saw Lucine knocking at the room where Serenity and Lhinx were and walked up to her, still with Tallulah on his shoulder. "Lucine, we've got serious problem. Those Yevon freaks even tried to kill Tallulah because they said she was with certain Demon that killed some of their men... Luca is going crazy on us today. I took care of their captain, but that won't hold them back for long. We gotta leave as soon as possible."

He took a step forward and knocked the door again. "I'm coming in, ladies," he said and opened the door.

Lucine turned around when she heard Silver's voice. "Th-the Yevonites tried to kill Tallulah? Oh, man...you're right, this is disasterific! Well, lets get going then!" As Silver opened the door, she saw that Serenity and Lhinx had been in there after all. So who were those three men after, she wondered.

"C'mon guys, we need to leave Luca, like, _right_ now." Lucine searched around the room and grabbed her bags, slinging them over her shoulder. "But what about Zephyr? She's still in the hospital, and Kai is still missing. What are we going to do about them?"

"You stay here and look after Tallulah and Serenity, ok? I'll go look for Kai and bring Zephyr. They already saw me, and are most likely looking for me, it's better if I go alone for now or they could try killing you like they did to Serenity and Tallulah." Silver placed Tallulah on the bed just next to Serenity and smiled at both of them. "I'll be right back... "

Silver walked out of the room, but then when he was stepping o the first step downstairs he felt like everything went black. Too much for him in one day... he was bleeding without even knowing. The wound on his back hadn't healed completely yet... and Silver Fang rolled down the stairs, sinking into darkness.

After Silver left, Lucine sat down in one of the chairs. She barely had time to think before she heard a loud thump outside their room. She got up and peeped out the door. She couldn't see anything, so she made her way to the top of the stairs. And there, sprawled at the bottom was Silver, blood coming out of a wound on his back. She quickly ran back to the room. "Tallulah, Serenity! Silver is wounded. He needs help right away." She ran back out the door and down the steps to Silver.

Lhinx followed Lucine down the stairs and took a stance near his body. "Tallulah can heal him, right?" Lhinx asked.

Tallulah tried to stand and somehow managed to. She walked slowly towards the stairs and saw Silver in horror, blood coming out of his body. Not knowing how she dashed down the stairs and knelt besides him. "I... I can't use my magic... I'm too weak... but I am a good doctor, help me carry him up there."

"I go find Zephyr and Kai. You and others head to plaza near exit and wait." Lhinx headed to the door.

"Gotcha." Lucine said as Lhinx walked out the door. She knew Zephyr would be in good hands. But now back to Silver. She saw that Tallulah was there, trying to lift Silver. Lucine took one of his arms and wrapped it around her shoulder. Slowly she managed to stand up, half dragging Silver. "You can't use magic...but can you lift Silver? If not, we can get Serenity to help."

Silver opened his eyes after a few moments, noticing Lucine and Tallulah trying to lift him. "I... can walk...," he whispered, and let himself fall again on the floor, where he stood in four and finally on his legs. "Wha... Oh... I have to go find Zephyr and Kai."

He motioned towards the door when he noticed something wrong. "My blitzball? Have you seen my blitzball?" His voice was like that of a pup Demon, soft and weak. His eyes weren't completely opened and his body was in terrible pain. The chlorine, the fighting, the transformation into Wolfe, summoning Diablos... all that made him weak and tired, and for the moment even a human could beat him. His strength was now the one of a pup, but still he managed to stand up. "Anybody seen my blitzball?" Silver was so out dizzy and tired he didn't notice his blitzball was right behind him, lying next to the counter.

* * *

(I feel bad for leaving Silver like this, but he's in good hands. I can't say the same for Zephyr. It might not be known she's associated with us, but I can't leave her here.) Lhinx thought as she entered the sect of Luca. She began to head towards the hospital when she felt a large, strong hand grab her shoulder and pull her into an alley.

"Hey-" Lhinx began but felt the same hand cover her mouth. Lhinx looked to see the source of the hand. (Zeik?) Lhinx's eyes widened.

Zeik winked at her and removed his hand. "Men after you. Human named Bobba tell me." Zeik said.

"Hey there, Ms. Ronso." The man with the Yevon symbols said as he stepped out from behind Zeik.

"Bobba?" Lhinx asked. Bobba nodded.

"I overheard two men talking about you. Many times actually. The way they talked reminded me of you. The first time I felt suspicious. So I've been sort of following them today. My fears were confirmed when I heard them talking about attacking you. I ran into Mr. Zeik here and told him, knowing Ronso stick together in crisis." Bobba said with a pat to Zeik's back.

"And Zeik come up with good idea. Ronso hard to hide. But not impossible. Men look for Ronso, not mean they have to find one." Zeik's hand went to a pouch at his side and pulled out a rather ornate chain with a pendant much resembling a Ronso incisor. "This pendant I tell Lhinx about."

Zeik held out the pendant to Lhinx who at first back off a bit from it. She then looked to Bobba who gave her a reassuring nod and smile. She took the pendant from Zeik's open hand and looked at it. "Try it out." Zeik said with a rather eager tone for a Ronso and a smile.

Lhinx nodded to the giant Ronso male and began to put the pendant on.

* * *

Serenity heard Lucine call at her and Tallulah, and she dropped the bags she was carrying at the top of the stairs and went down after Lhinx and Tallulah. Coming at the bottom of the stairs, Lhinx was nowhere to be found, and Serenity saw Lucine and Tallulah trying to lift Silver up. As Serenity made her way over to help, Silver had awoken and slowly stood up straight.

"My blitzball? Have you seen my blitzball?" Silver had asked, his voice noticeably soft and weak sounding. "Anybody seen my blitzball?"

Serenity glanced around, seeing his blitzball right behind him by the front counter. She looked back at Silver worriedly, as if he must have been really out of it not to notice it right beside him. "It's right behind you, Silver," Serenity answered him gently, leaning in towards him to look at his eyes. "Um…I shall go look from my brother. You really should take a rest Silver, truly." With that, Serenity took a step back so she was standing beside Lucine and Tallulah and whispered at them.

"He looks terrible," Serenity said, taking a look at Tallulah, who didn't look too sharp herself. _Didn't Silver say they were attacked as well?_ "I…may not be centered on magic, but…mother and Lulu, they taught me some basic spells. If you need me to heal," Serenity looked at Tallulah, "I can do so. But he'll need a bit more then that, I think."

Serenity bit her bottom lip lightly. She wished they didn't have to leave Luca immediately. Everyone in the group seemed to be in need medical attention and rest; and they were about to start off on the Highroad. But apparently they had no other choice. They weren't very safe staying in Luca.

As Lucine struggled to get Silver up once more, she heard serenity come down the stairs. "Well, we'll probably need all the magic we can get right now. But I also have some potions and stuff inside my bag." She nodded her head toward a worn old knapsack laying a few feet away. "Or...is there some kind of spell to make Silver lighter? I mean...I've heard of a float spell, but I'm not that good at casting spells."

Silver smiled and took his blitzball from the floor, although he could barely lift it now. "Now when this thing became so heavy," he said, not noticing his own weakening state "And no, you have to rest, Serenity. I'll be back in just a moment..."

He began walking towards the door, very slowly and moving like a drunk guy. "Hey, was it raining? Why do I feel wet on my back?" Silver asked, feeling the blood on his back but not noticing the pain. "Oh, nevermind. I'll be right back, ladies. You stay in the room, be ready to leave when I find Kai... Zephyr... Lhinx too? Give me a break. It won't take that long." Silver put a hand on the wall and began walking out.

* * *

At the hospital

"That Guado girl seems to be doing better." A doctor commented to one of his associates as he stepped outside the said patient's room.

"How long will she be asleep though?" one of the associates asked.

"Oh I'd say another day perhaps? We have an oxygen mask on her right now and the chlorine was already pumped out. Time is all we can give her."

"Excuse me doctor?" A nurse came up to the first doctor.

"Yes, Elsa?" The doctor asked.

"A woman is here to pick up the Guado girl. She says their party will be leaving Luca soon." The nurse replied.

"Understandably so. Luca is in a bit of peril. I've heard rumor of a demon running around." One of the associates piped up.

"Could they not wait another day?" The doctor asked.

"She says it very important they get moving immediately." The nurse replied.

"Cross examine the woman's profile with those of any wanted felons within Luca or around the area. It's a bit fishy that someone would be in such a hurry to leave."

"I already did sir. She's clean as a whistle."

"Fine, fine. You get the girl in a wheel chair and take her to the lobby."

Lobby

"Here she is." The nurse announced as she wheeled a very unconscious Zephyr into the lobby.

A young woman with shoulder length brown hair, a white long sleeve shirt, vest, left shoulder guard and an odd fang shaped pendant on waited expectantly for the nurse. She wore an armlet on her right arm and gauntlet on her left arm and two leg guards protecting her shins under a pair of semi-baggy pants tied with ropes at the end of the legs. Oddly enough shoes were absent from the woman's feet.

"She's not fit for fighting off fiends right now." The nurse said to the woman.

"We'll protect her. Don't worry, we're all really strong." The woman said with a soft voice as she turned around and put Zephyr on her back piggyback style.

"You're not gonna travel like that all the time are you?" The nurse asked.

"She'll wake up eventually." The woman said with a bright smile as she walked out with a Zephyr backpack on.

The nurse's eyes widened at the sight of the woman's bright yellow eyes.

* * *

"A float spell?" Serenity repeated, feeling as if it was something she heard Lulu talking about, before noticing Silver slowly making his way out of the Inn rather painfully. Running over to the doorway, Serenity stood in his way and held out her arms.

"You are not going anywhere, you hear? You're injured, and I believe it's more than just a wound on your back, something internal…Besides, at the rate you're going, you won't be back for a month," Serenity joked lightly. "Now you are going to stay in this Inn if I have to tie you to a chair myself. Just let us heal you so you can rest and I can retrieve the others."

"Yeah, a float spell. I don't think anybody's used it in a long time. It may even be a forgotten spell. I just remember reading about it in some old book." As Lucine was talking to Serenity, Silver had somehow made his way to the Inn door and was trying to get out.

"Serenity, I think he's delirious, or something! We need to get him to a bed right away. Help me drag him upstairs." Lucine grabbed a hold of Silver's arm, pulling him towards the stairs. It looked like he was able to stand again, but he walked with a slow stagger.

"Hmm, an old book? Do you still have it with you, or know where we can find it? I think it'll be of some use to us." Serenity looked at Lucine and nodded, grabbing onto Silver's other arm and pulling him lightly towards the stairs with Lucine, hoping Silver wouldn't resist and hurt himself further. "Yes, something's wrong. What exactly happened to you two?" Serenity asked Tallulah and Silver, though posed the question more towards Tallulah for Silver didn't look like he would give a clear answer.

"Hey, who you think you are talking to, little girls?" Silver asked, now really sounding as if he was drunk. "I'm older than the two of us, I would have to be the one to tell you to go to bed." Though he wasn't ok with being pulled upstairs, Silver didn't resist this time. "Ok, but you three stay with me. If something happens I'll protect you. I'm sure Lhinx will find those two... although your brother might as well be in progress of finding you a new sister-in-law."

He laughed slightly and looked back at Tallulah. "I don't know exactly what happened... when I arrived they were about to shoot Tallulah. Those jerks are already history, but the bounty on my head will rise three times in one single day... that's like a new record."

Again Silver laughed, not really thinking about it. Either because the bounty on his head wasn't that big or because he was actually a Tiger Demon there were few who dared to try getting that reward. Silver took off his right glove to scratch the back of his head. It had been itching for a while. Just when he touched it he felt the blood coming out from it, not noticing yet. He looked at his now red hand and then at the girls. "Hey, hey, my hair is sacred, who spilled red thingie on it?" It was official, Silver was starting to get delirious.

Lucine thought for a bit about the book. After she had read it...oh! Now she remembered. She had bought it, thinking her Mother would be interested, but that was the day her Mother went missing, so she ended up stuffing in her bag. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have the book. It's with my things. I'll bring it up as soon as we get Silver up there. But I wonder what made the Yevonites want to shoot Tallulah? It seems awful strange.." After that, she tried to ignore Silver's strange comments, like the one about his 'Sacred Hair' or something. But now they were almost up to the room. Just a few more steps...

"A doctor came rushing into the clinic where I was and told me a Demon had wounded and killed some Yevon guards... they told me they fell protecting Serenity from the Demon that was trying to kidnap her. Obviously a lie, and when I told them that the captain dude ordered some jerk to hit me with a rifle and I fell. When I awoke, I was all tied up on the floor just outside the clinic and Silver was already fighting."

Tallulah decided not to mention Diablos, for that card was something dark and secret, a secret between Silver and herself. "Somehow... I think they have something against Silver besides the fact he is a Tiger Demon" she grinned a little then, feeling all better now that they were almost upstairs "I can bet my boobs it has something to do with Lady Yuna too, like if someone was trying to prevent us from finding her."

A usual joke from her, since most would say Tallulah was proud of her body that she worked so hard to keep in that shape. And, of course, her boobs were no different.

Serenity forced a smile at Tallulah's apparent joke. She wasn't sure if the girl was just really confident about herself or just plain egocentric. For the moment Serenity decided to give Tallulah the benefit of the doubt, and shifted Silver's arm as they reached the top of the stairs. Silver was sounding more delirious by the second. Walking around the bags she dropped there, Serenity reached out to open the door and lightly kicked it open. "Let's put him on his stomach. Attend the wound on the back of his head first," she said.

"That is weird. I didn't realize the guards were from Yevon. I guess they attacked Tallulah for siding with Silver 'the Demon.' Must have thought you were a traitor or something. But that still doesn't make sense. If Yevon did have something to do with the gas attack at the stadium…does it have any link to the disappearances…? Well, either way, I think we may have Yevon on our backs. Maybe we shouldn't leave until nightfall. Always a good cover. And it would give Silver a chance to rest. But Luca could be crawling with guards by then. If we leave as soon as the others arrive…we'll need a distraction. What do you guys think?"

"I know, we can wait till the others are here, then we all get as quick as possible to the Highroad entrance... Lucine, do you have some Al-Bhed flashy toys with you? I think those and my fangs can make a pretty scary combination. A holographic cube would do great" Silver grinned slightly, thinking a giant holograph of him would scare the hell out of the Yevonites. As they got him into the room he collapsed on the bed. "Ok, now you telling me who put red thingie on my hair?"

Tallulah sighed softly and went to her bag, where she found an apple. She devoured it hungrily. "Ok, now with some sugar on my body I think I can cast a spell. But in Silver's condition I think I rather cast Silence than Curaga."

She sat on the edge of the bed next to Silver and looked at the wound on his head. It wasn't a big deal for one such as him, but it would be a dangerous, even mortal, wound to a human. "You hit your head pretty bad, Tiger" Tallulah said, almost giggling and then turned her head towards Serenity "Do you mind if I take _your man's_ shirt off, the wound on his back worries me." Her voice had an obvious sarcastic tone. Maybe they were in great danger, but there would be no truce for the girl that had stolen the love of Silver from her.

* * *

(This is gonna be interesting to explain to the others...) Lhinx thought as she walked past residents who gave her odd looks. (I guess they've never seen anyone give a person a piggyback ride. Wait, does that make me a pig? Well, I sure am pink, but I'm human now.)

Lhinx stopped and shook her head.

(I can't wait to get back to normal. Bobba said it would be safe for me to once we were down the Highroad a bit.)

Lhinx began going again and could see the Inn from across the crowd. She quickened her pace.

* * *

Lucine knew it was no time to laugh with Silver in this condition, but it was so funny hearing him talking about 'flashy toys' and 'red thingies' that she couldn't help herself. So as she was rummaging through her bag, she was also letting out a few giggles. The she looked up at the others. "Yep I have some Al-Bhed 'flashy toys'. They'd make a perfect distraction. And I also have this." She help up a worn looking book that was bound in some kind of leather. It's pages were yellow and frayed at the ends. "This is where I saw the spell."

She sat down in a chair by the bed and started flipping through the pages, laughing softly at Tallulah's Silence joke. She really didn't feel like getting into another Serenity and Tallulah catfight. Oh, yes. She knew it was coming. Because Tallulah was starting the smart-ass sarcastic comments. Ah, well. If it got too messy, she could step in. Once inside the book, she turned straight towards the Table of Contents. Inside there was a whole list of spells that she had never ever heard of. The list read from the simple spell Float, to the unknown Saint Beam, and lastly to one of the most powerful, Ultima.

"It's not anything like hair dye, Silver. The 'red thingie' is blood, your blood. Tallulah's right, you hit your head pretty badly out there." Serenity then put a hand to her hip and leaned to the opposite side, her other hand going to her forehead at Tallulah's last comment. She was starting it again. It looked like Tallulah wasn't going to let up even for a second. _Couldn't we just be civil...? Can't we be friends?_ Serenity wanted to scream that at her.

"Tallulah…" Serenity trailed off, completely drained from having to do this every day. She did not want to start something with her…at least not there, now. "I don't _own_ him like he's some piece of meat. He's not my slave. You're the resident healer in our group. If the wound on his back is of some concern, then of course you could take his shirt off."

Serenity closed her eyes and sighed, going back to a regular stance. "I guess I'll go search for the others now." She walked over to Silver's side, for Tallulah placed herself on his other side and leaned in close to him, brushing some hair off the side of his face. "You just hang tight, okay? You'll be better in no time. You're in good hands." Serenity smiled and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

Walking towards the door, Serenity looked over at Lucine pleadingly, as if asking to watch over them in case Tallulah decided to do anything. "Hey, let me see that back later. I'll be back in a few," she said, then walked out the door and down the stairs.

Lucine looked up as Serenity was leaving the room. She nodded slightly. "Be careful Serenity. Those Yevonites are lurking around everywhere." serenity stepped out of the door, so Lucine stood up and put the book up. She could always look at it later. She walked over next to Tallulah and looked down at Silver. "I hope you'll be able to heal him." She got down on her knees so that she was eye level with him. "His eyes are all dilated an' stuff. It looks like he's loosing too much blood."

"Hey, Serenity no go," Silver whispered but she was already gone. He almost jumped when he saw Lucine's face in front of his, looking into her eyes. "I'm ok, it's nothing, and I've taken worst." He tried to get up but couldn't. "Hey... I don't want Serenity to go off alone like that... if something happens... I would never forgive myself."

* * *

Pushing the door open, Serenity left the Inn and back onto the streets of Luca. "Now where are you…" Serenity said to herself, scanning around for where Kai might be, and for any sign of Lhinx and Zephyr.

Lhinx was getting closer to the inn. So many people, it was hard to believe that they could all be cleared for a skirmish between guards and an "infamous" demon who "hypnotized" Lady Serenity. (Then again...I've heard weirder.) Lhinx thought as she passed through another drove of people before her eye caught Serenity.

"Serenity!" Lhinx called out, though she doubted the girl would recognize her voice or her for that matter.

* * *

Lucine turned her head sideways to match Silver's. "Well, I suppose I could go after her, but she looked like she wanted to be alone." She stood up and looked out of the hotel window. She saw Serenity walking out of the front door and looking around. As she looked further, she saw a young woman running toward Serenity carrying Zephyr. "Is that...no, it couldn't be! Lhinx...?" But there was only one problem. This woman was human, not Ronso. But what would she be doing with Zephyr?

* * *

"Serenity!"

Serenity blinked curiously, hearing her name being called. Looking about the crowded streets, it beginning to be heavy with guards, she slowly came across a woman. Serenity wouldn't have though anything of it, until she noticed that this woman was carrying someone. "Zephyr…?" Serenity said to herself before walking over towards them.

"Um…hello," Serenity said to the woman when she approached her. Glancing briefly at a still unconscious Zephyr, Serenity looked at the woman up and down. It wasn't odd for people to know her and for her not to know them, but the woman didn't address her formally, which made Serenity think she knew the woman somehow. There was an odd way the woman chose to dress…from the armlet and gauntlet to the oddly shaped fang pendant and lack of shoes…But Serenity really did feel like she knew the woman…A feeling.

"Are…you from the hospital?" Serenity asked, stabbing in the dark. It didn't look like the woman was from there, but what other reason would there be for her to be carrying her half-Guado friend? "We were just going to pick her up…you didn't have to…carry…her all the way here." Serenity noted the equally odd way the woman was traveling around with Zephyr. "But, thank you," Serenity added, not wanting to be rude, and bowed.

* * *

Tallulah grinned when Serenity left the room and took out a knife she kept inside her bag, then cut Silver's leather shirt to look at the wound. It was deep and bleeding badly, but wasn't a danger to his life. "Ok now, this will ache a little. Just like when I used to heal you when we were younger" she said, placing her hands over his back, not touching "_Curaga_!"

A soft golden light appeared from her palms and a warm feeling was irradiated from her hands. She felt how the strength she had left was taken away from her as the wound on Silver's back closed. With this done, Tallulah moved to his head and healed it as well, feeling sleepy and weak all of sudden. "There you go... Now off the bed, I need a nap."

"It... doesn't aches anymore," Silver said, still feeling a little weak and dizzy from the blood loss, but definitely a lot better. "Tallulah, I owe you big for this," he declared before jumping out of the bed as she had told him. He went to his bag and searched inside. "Hey... I thought I had packed an extra vest. Oh well..." He stood up and smiled at Lucine. "Now where's Lhinx?"

Lucine watched as Tallulah healed Silver. She was excellent at the healing arts, she had to give her that much. She walked over to her own bag and put it around her shoulder. Then looked back at Silver who had just jumped of the bed. "Well, I saw Serenity leave just a few minutes ago. She was talking to a young woman who was carrying Zephyr. It's probably just someone from the hospital." But there was still that nagging feeling that she had seen that woman somewhere before...

* * *

Lhinx was almost surprised at just how small she had truly become. Now she was almost the same height if not shorter then the daughter of the legendary High Summoner. "Umm..." Lhinx looked around, trying to see if anyone was eyeing them suspiciously, but noticed little of anything different from the usual glances one could not avoid giving to passerby. "This is going to sound weird..." Lhinx began. "But it's me, Lhinx."

She glanced at Zephyr from the corner of her still yellow Ronso eyes and then back to Serenity. "I'll explain inside." Lhinx said, hoping Serenity would believe her enough to let her explain what was going on with her new look.

Serenity was taken aback by the woman's words, and then started laughing slightly as if the woman was playing some sort of trick on her. But the woman looked quite serious, and Serenity abruptly stopped. "Aha…" Serenity said, speechless. Maybe the she had hit her head, or been around in that hospital too long. Surely the woman must've inhaled some chlorine. Her…Lhinx? "…Weird indeed. Um…no offense," Serenity started, circling around them, "But…the Lhinx I know is a Ronso. And you're…"

Serenity completed her 360-degree turn and stood in front of her again. "Human. I mean…" She laughed nervously as she spoke now. "It's…not possible for that…for you…You're so much shorter…and no fur…" Serenity was totally mind-boggled. She looked at the woman's eyes, and covered her mouth with a hand as she gasped. The woman had yellow eyes. Serenity knew she knew her from somewhere but… "That's unreal…" Serenity whispered. "Lhinx?"

Serenity closed her eyes and shook her head. _Get a grip. She can't be Lhinx. Could she…? Why didn't she tell us about this ability? But…it would explain why I'm getting this feeling from her…_ Serenity reopened her eyes and looked at the woman. "Uh…" Serenity glanced around before nodding. "Yes. I guess we should talk inside. Zephyr must be getting heavy." Taking one last look at the woman who claimed to be Lhinx, Serenity walked back towards the Inn, and held the door open for her when she got there.

"I didn't think you'd believe me if I just told you." Lhinx said and nodded a thanks as she stepped into the lobby of the Inn. "Well... The Lhinx you know indeed is Ronso." Lhinx said. "She always was since she was born. Or rather I have and up to this point have always been Ronso. But alteration can come when one is in need."

Lhinx almost smirked with pleasure at finally being able to speak intelligently. Ronso were intelligent beings, but they did not have the same bone structure in their jaws that humans had for being able to create a spoken language. "I just need to lay Zephyr down somewhere and I can show you who I am." Lhinx said while looking around.

"I really do want to believe you. And I do…in a way. But what you're saying is a bit off the top for anyone, I think, to just take at face value," Serenity said lightly as the woman began to explain as they stood in the lobby. "Alteration? 'When one is in need?' Are you in trouble?" She asked worriedly. Serenity looked about as well. "Well, the others are upstairs, if you wish to see them as well. The bed's full, I believe, though. They're healing Silver. But I can get another room so we can place Zephyr down. Or you could put her down there." Serenity pointed to one of the corners in the lobby, where a couple chairs and a small table was.

Zephyr murmured something in her sleep, as if she were about to wake up, but remained a dead weight on the human Lhinx's back.

* * *

"A woman carrying Zephyr! Oh dear..." Silver took his gunblade from the floor as well as his scarf and blitzball. It felt quite weird to be without a usual leather vest on top of his thorax. Now all his scars were visible, small ones, big ones, all kinds. Along with them his black tiger-like straps shared the brownish skin of the Demon. "Stay with Tallulah," he told Lucine before rushing out of the room and practically jumping downstairs, worried that woman could be the one they saw at the docks. If it was, Serenity and Zephyr were in danger.

* * *

"Gimme a second, seems Zephyr here is beginning to awaken. Just gotta set her down now." Lhinx said and put Zephyr in a sitting position on a nearby chair Serenity had shown her. "Now." Lhinx stood up straight, and grasped the pendant she wore. "Watch and I'll show you what I mean by alteration."

Lhinx began to take off the pendant, feeling something that had been boxed within her beginning to come out slowly. She pull the pendant over her head and instantly felt her skeletal structure grow, the grinding of bones going into their proper Ronso structure and her muscles and nerves growing to now fit a large Ronso youth frame. Lhinx winced openly. She closed her eyes in pain and her hands went to her sides, trying to massage the pain out of the growing rib cage and muscles. Her forehead acquired a layer of sweat, but the Ronso refused to cry out.

A Ronso tail slowly came out once again, grinding bones being reborn and muscle being forced to redevelop. Her once petite human ears grew longer, and more focused now on the tiny details that she had barely missed during her short period of humanity. Small, feminine hands became large paws capable of taking away the life of any creature unfortunate enough to be within their grasp. Claws grew from the tips of her fingers where human nails once were and tufts of blue/bray fur covered her body. Her brown locks turned white and her gentle human face became that of a fiercesome Ronso. Her breathing grew hard, the pain slowly starting to fade. She finally opened her eyes.

The Ronso smiled.

"Believe now?" Lhinx asked.

Silver stared at the Lhinx transformation speechless. He never heard of a trick like that, not in his entire life. It sure would've saved him some trouble with Demon-hater people. "Lhinx... is that... really you?"

He walked slowly, smiling that his worries were unsettled. Zephyr was on a chair now, and he felt a lot better now. They only needed to find Kai now, and they were good to go. As he looked to Serenity, Silver felt how his face became bright red as he was aware of his lack of clothing on his top middle, and now she could see all his scars.

_Yeah, like she didn't see you naked back at Kilika... _

_That was an accident! _

_Oh cut it off. You want to marry her, don't you? And to have kids with her? Then she would see that and a lot more you idiot... _

_I think... you are right in that..._

"Good, you brought Zephyr. We only got to find my future brother-in-law and get the hell out of here," Silver said, joking about his future relationship with Kai and smiling at Serenity, still blushing a little.

And, after hours of dark dreams, Raphaela Guado awoke with a start.

To clarify: by "a start," I mean that she leapt to her feet and aimed her rather intimidating huge alchemist's gun at the living thing nearest to her, which happened to be Silver. Her body ran, for a moment, on force of reflex and self-defense. Only after this did she draw in a rattling breath, and as her eyes focused on the demon in front of her, she fell to her knees, gun clattering to the floor beside her. Zephyr clenched her fist over her heart; she closed her hand so forcefully that her long Guado nails inadvertently tore five small holes in her gray turtleneck.

After a couple of seconds to regain her breath and a more or less clear state of mind, she looked up. Her voice was unfamiliar and weak, not the voice of the strong, independent half-breed the group knew. "I'm sorry." She opened her mouth, as if maybe she expected to speak again, but closed it shortly afterwards, deciding that those words were enough.

Zephyr reached with red-tinted nails (she must have broken the skin when she tore her sweater) grabbed her gun and shoved it into place on her belt. She got to her feet unsteadily, trying and failing to regain some semblance of composure. "What happened?" she asked, her voice having reverted to her familiar, pleasant and unerring alto. Shortly Zephyr thought better of it and rephrased her question. "Or rather, what is the state of things right now and what should we be doing?"


End file.
